Ghosts of Who We Were
by Halawen
Summary: Clare and Maya are sisters, their oldest sister Darcy left and so did their dad, now they are left with Stepfather Glen, his son Jake and their mom. Their lives are about to crumble, will they crumble too or can the people that care about them keep them together? Warning this story is intense and contains many trigger warnings. WARNING! This is a DARK FIC!
1. Our Lives Shatter

**Welcome to my new story everyone.**

**First to get the legal stuff out of the way I do not own DeGrassi.**

**This story is dedicated to Christlove88 who not only requested this idea but worked with me on the plots and timeline with immense dedication to help me bring this story to life. So a big a thank you to her because I might be writing it but she had the idea and worked diligently with me to get it plotted and published.**

**Important stuff to know before reading:**

***This story is 100% A/U.**

***Maya is Clare and Darcy's little sister in this story and the rest of the Matlin family doesn't exist. **

***Drew is already dating Bianca and she is a year younger than Drew in this story. **

***Clare never dated Eli but did date K.C. and he did leave her for Jenna.**

***Fitz is also a year younger than Owen and Drew and in the same grade as Clare and Bianca.**

***Alli's family moved away.**

**This is your one and only ****WARNING****! This story is intense and dramatic! Christlove88 got the idea after reading Under the Surface and from a line Asher says to Clare in Her Unexpected Hero. This story contains many ****TRIGGER WARNINGS****! Do Not Read if you are easily offended, if you could not stomach Under the Surface then this is not the story for you please read something else.**

**That being said there will also be some very tender moments, some fluff and eventually some smut. So please keep that in mind and I hope you enjoy it despite the intensity, drama and heartbreak of most of the content.**

**Ch. 1 Our Lives Shatter**

**(CLARE)**

"CLARE WAKE UP WE HAVE TO GO TO THE STORE!"

I groan, not ready to be up so early, Jake bangs on our bedroom door again when I don't respond.

"Coming," I call back in a sleepy voice as I pull the covers off and sit up.

"What time is it?" Maya whines from her bed as she pulls the covers over her head.

I press the button on my phone to see the display, **Sunday** **September 25**, my phone says just above the time. "It's just past seven, go back to sleep Maya," I tell my little sister.

"I don't know why Jake can't go to the store by himself," she yawns.

"Because our stepbrother couldn't tell milk from yogurt," I respond in a sardonic whisper and Maya giggles.

I walk to our closet and look for something to wear, coming across what used to be my favorite church dress. I remember when we used to get up early on Sunday to go to church, but we haven't been to church in a long time. Dad ran off four years ago, just after Darcy left for Africa and dealing with the aftermath of her rape. Maya was only nine then and when Darcy began acting out Maya was sent to stay with our grandparents. I was twelve so they kept me around but I was pretty much invisible and left to my own devices as my parents were too busy dealing with Darcy. Luckily I wasn't invisible to everyone and several of Darcy's friends, including her ex-boyfriend Spinner, watched out for me and took care of me. Spinner even made sure I was put on birth control just in case I was ever to be raped. For two years things were okay and then two years ago Mom started dating Glen Martin. Glen and Jake did not attend church and Mom stopped taking us, it was only the first step in isolation and control for Glen.

"Took you long enough," Jake scolds after I'm dressed and ready to go.

"Sorry," I apologize.

I glance briefly at my mom; she's become so incredibly frail, hardly anything but skin and bone. I know she's sick, I don't know how sick or with what because Glen refuses to let her go to the doctor and Mom hasn't left the house in over a year. I know that Glen must see how she's sick yet he still forces her to keep house and sleep with him and he still beats her when anything goes wrong. They only dated a month before Jake and Glen moved in and a month after that is when Glen started hitting her and being verbally abusive to the three of us. Sometimes he hits me and Maya too but never Jake. Usually he only hits us when he's really angry or when Mom is unconscious and he can't take his anger out on her. He's careful though; we get hit on the palms of the hands, soles of our feet, backs or stomachs. Places that don't bruise or are covered by clothes and we learned very quickly not to try and say anything anymore. Mom tries to smile at me as Jake pulls me out the door but Glean slams his fist down on the table and Mom looks away.

Jake and I get in his truck and he starts driving, "Why do you wear clothes that cover so much? You should be showing off those nice big tits of yours," Jake remarks.

It's never been a secret that Jake was attracted to me, he's always looked at me with a carnal lust. I was hoping it would change after Mom and Glen got married but it didn't and in the last few months he's been looking at Maya the same way. He's never touched me, or Maya, but I know he wants to and I'm afraid it's only a matter of time. I shift uncomfortably and cover my chest with my arms.

"Can we stop at the Dot? I'm hungry," I request as I see the Dot approaching.

"Dad didn't say anything about feeding you I just have to take you to the store," Jake shrugs but he always takes me to the store, Glen thinks I might run or talk but I know better than to talk and I couldn't leave Mom or Maya.

"Please Jake I need some breakfast or at least coffee, aren't you hungry?" I prod knowing Glen must have woken him up early.

"Fine you go in and get it but don't talk to anyone except to order," he commands pulling up in front of the Dot. "Large coffee, two cinnamon rolls and a chocolate croissant for me, you can have a small hot chocolate," Jake tells me pulling out his wallet and handing me a $10. Jake always eats like a pig; he eats more than any teenage boy I know. He'll eat all that and then be hungry again in a couple hours. I start to get out of the car but Jake grabs my wrist, "I'll be watching you."

I get out of the car and walk across the street, Jake is always watching, Jake or Glen. Looking back I can see where our freedoms were taken away, how they started getting control but when it was happening we didn't see it until it was too late. It's early on a Sunday morning but there are still a few kids from school in the café.

"Hey Clare," Fitz smiles at me from behind the counter, "what can I get you?"

Fitz has been working at the Dot for about a year now, full time in the summer and part time during the school year. He goes to DeGrassi with me and he's in my grade, we've even got most of our classes together this semester. Fitz, like Bianca and Owen, had previously been a trouble maker and hung out at the ravine but last year the three of them had cleaned up their acts and were now…well good kids might be pushing it but they weren't trouble makers anymore. I didn't know Fitz that well but since Bianca had started dating Drew Fitz and Owen were at the Torres house a lot, and I was there as much as I could be since Drew's younger brother Adam was also my best friend.

"Hi Fitz, I need a large coffee, a small hot chocolate, a chocolate croissant and two cinnamon rolls," I tell him.

"That's $13.25," he says after ringing it up.

"Oh umm…" I bite lip nervously and look out the window at Jake as I hand Fitz the $10 Jake gave me.

"Don't worry about it I'll cover you," Fitz smiles taking the money and I release a breath smiling at him.

"Thanks, I'll pay you back Monday," I tell him as he grabs the donuts and starts making the coffee.

"Nah don't worry about it," he grins at me.

I smile back as he puts the cups in a tray and hands me the bag with the donuts. I walk out to the truck again and get in handing Jake his food.

"You shouldn't be smiling at other boys, they'll think you're cheap," Jake tells me in a calm but malicious voice.

"I was just being friendly," I dispute.

Jake doesn't say anything else just takes his coffee and starts driving again. He downs the pastries, shoveling them into his mouth and finishes the last one when we park at the grocery store. I'm still slowly sipping at my hot chocolate, Jake takes his coffee and we get out walking into the store. I grab a cart, Jake has the list and stays close to my side like always. We start walking through the store, I look at the list and get what we need, Jake holds the list and walks next to me. At least until he starts flirting with a store employee who's stalking melons and I turn down the cereal aisle. The cereal that Jake likes is on the top shelf, I'm only 5'2 and even standing on my tip toes I can hardly reach the bottom of the box. I stand on the bottom shelf and reach up, I start to fall back but I'm caught from behind and helped down.

"Need some help?" Owen asks reaching up to get the box of cereal I was trying to get.

Owen Milligan is a senior this year and good friends with Drew through Bianca. He's also a star athlete at our school, gets good grades and I've had a crush on him since last year. Not that it matters because Glen doesn't like us dating and I don't think Owen even notices me.

"Thanks Owen," I smile.

"No problem," he grins back, he has the best smile, I feel myself blushing and biting my lip.

Before I can say anything else Jake's arm comes around my shoulders tightly. "Hey Owen, good game on Friday," Jake says appearing to be friendly and a protective older brother but he's really just being possessive.

"Thanks well see you at guys at school Monday," Owen says waving as he walks away.

Jake waits until Owen walks away and then grips the back of the neck right at the base of the skull and presses hard. I hiss in a sharp breath, he squeezes a little harder and I bite my lip so I won't whimper in pain. Jake always squeezes there, it hides the bruises.

"What did I tell you about smiling at boys?! That's two this morning, maybe Maya should start coming shopping with me," Jake growls in a low whisper into my ear as he keeps a placid face so that all appears normal.

"No," I respond with a shaky whisper, the thought that he'd bring Maya scares me, she doesn't know what Jake is like on these trips and I'd like to keep it that way.

Jake releases my neck and stays right at my side while we're in the store. We get everything on the list and Jake gets a couple of extra things. He pays; we leave, load the groceries in the car and Jake drives home. When we bring the groceries into the house I can hear Glen in their bedroom hitting mom. I bite my lip and swallow the tears, I can hear mom's painful cries and then it stops while Glen berates her for not properly mopping the floor. I don't see Maya but I'm sure she's hiding in our room; she usually does when Glen starts hitting Mom. Jake and I bring in the rest of the groceries and start putting them away before Glen comes down stairs.

"Everything go okay?" Glen asks Jake.

"Clare was flirting with a couple of guys from school," Jake tells him.

"I wasn't flirting, I smiled to be nice," I argue.

"No one was speaking to you Clare," Glen barks at me slamming his hand on the counter. "What have I told you about flirting? No one likes a slut Clare, you know better than to flirt. Go clean the washrooms and then do the laundry and no laptop for two weeks as punishment for flirting," Glen tells me.

"How am I supposed to do my homework?"

"DON'T TALK BACK!" Glen yells grabbing my wrist, he holds it firm but not too tight so it want bruise.

Then he takes a metal ladle from the crock on the counter and spreading my palm out face up he hits it hard with the ladle! I scream out in pain, my hand throbbing and red, a sharp pain radiating from the center. Jake starts laughing and Glen releases me shoving me to the stairs reminding me to clean the washrooms. I hold my hand to my chest and go upstairs, fighting back the tears that are trying to break free.

"Did he hit you?" Maya asks when I come in our room and find her hiding on her bed.

"My hand, with the ladle again, stay in the room he's in one of his moods," I tell my sister as I start changing into sweats so I can clean the washrooms.

"He's always in one of his moods now," Maya says.

"I know, just stay in the room unless he calls for you," I assert slipping on an old t-shirt.

"I tried looking for Darc again this morning, I e-mailed the last address we had for her," Maya tells me.

"That e-mail doesn't work anymore, we haven't heard from Darcy in over two years, for all we know she's dead. Darcy can't help us Maya, just stay in the room he's angry and I don't know what he'll do. Hide out, I'll try and say you went to Tristan's or something," I tell Maya.

She nods and I leave our room closing the door behind me, I grab the bucket and cleaning supplies from the closet and go into Mom's room to clean their washroom first. Mom's lying on the bed, she looks unconscious and I can see bruises all over her face and arms! I wipe away the tears from my face and cover Mom with a blanket before going into the washroom to clean.

**(MAYA)**

"Maya, wake up you have to get ready for school," Clare says shaking me after the alarm goes off Monday morning.

"I'm up," I groan pulling the covers off. Clare's already dressed; she must have been up for a while. "When did you get up?" I ask her as I go to my dresser and pick out some clothes.

"A couple hours ago, Mom isn't feeling well and Glen woke me up to make breakfast," she tells me.

I get clothes and start getting dressed while Clare gathers our books and backpacks. "Jake's in the washroom and I have to pee," I complain after opening our door and seeing the washroom door closed.

"Use Mom's, Glen's downstairs I'll make sure he stays," Clare tells me trying to pick up her backpack and then wincing when her hand hurts.

"Thanks, how's your hand?" I ask her.

"It's fine, just a little sore, you better go use the washroom I'll make sure Glen stays downstairs," Clare says and I leave our room.

Mom's room is dark when I enter and Mom appears to be sleeping. I use her washroom and go back out to her room, she sounds like she's breathing funny and I sit on the edge of her bed brushing her hair out of her face.

"Hey Baby," Mom smiles at me but her smile is weak and she starts coughing.

"Mom are you okay?" I ask trying not to cry.

"I'm fine Baby I just need to rest," Mom assures me lifting her hand to cup my face.

"Mom you don't look good, you should go to the doctor," I plead with her.

"No I just need to rest, you know Glen doesn't like us to go to the doctor," Mom argues weakly.

"Mom we can't keep living like this, you're sick and he still beats you, we can go to the cops, we can leave," I plead with her.

"Maya you know we can't, we have nowhere to go, we have no one Baby. Your father left us, we have no family. You remember what happened when I tried to call the cops before; Glen knows most of the cops in this precinct. I'll be okay Baby I just need to rest and you need to get to school," Mom tells me, she kisses my forehead and I leave the room.

I do remember when she tried to call the cops; it was right after Glen hit her for the first time. The cops came and Glen had gone to high school with one of them, he and Jake told the officers that he was fighting with Mom and she hit him with a pan, then he grabbed her wrists to get her to stop and she slipped hitting her face on the dresser. Glen pressed charges and our mom spent the night in jail! Without Mom home to stop him he spent the rest of the night telling me and Clare how terrible we were and how awful our mother is. When Mom got home the next morning Glen beat her so bad she couldn't leave her bed for almost a week. Clare and I had to do all the housework and cooking, Clare did as much as she could but Glen was treating her more like Mom that week and he hit her a few times. It was the first time he hit her and he wasn't careful, she had bruises but she covered them with clothes and makeup. Miss Dawes saw one of her bruises though and came to the house. We all told her what Glen told her, that Clare slipped on the stairs and of course Miss Dawes believed it because Glen acted like everything was normal and he cared. Miss Dawes never saw Mom, Glen never yelled or raised his voice and as far as Miss Dawes was concerned everything was fine. After that no one was ever allowed to come to the house and no one's been to the house since. Glen was real mad after Miss Dawes left; he took Clare up to our room and yelled at her for over an hour. He hit her again but was careful about where and how, she had bruises for a couple of weeks but no one else saw them. He wouldn't let us go out after that or do much of anything unless it was a school function or a party for one of his clients where we were told to act normal. Mom never came with us, Glen always had an excuse ready though and he always made us rehearse it in the car. And as far as the rest of the world was concerned we were a happy family.

"You got five minutes to eat breakfast," Jake tells me when I leave Mom's room.

When I go downstairs Clare is at the table with Glen, Jake and I sit at the table and eat quickly before we leave for school. Jake drives us to school in his truck, he always drives us, Clare is sixteen and she could be driving her but Glen didn't let her get her license, he doesn't let us do anything. If she got her license and could drive then he couldn't control where she goes and I think he's more afraid of her running then going to the cops, which is stupid cause I know Clare wouldn't leave me and Mom the way Dad and Darcy did.

Jake keeps looking at Clare's legs and her breasts, her skirt goes down to her knees and her chest is totally covered by her top but he's still looking. He shouldn't be looking at her like that, she's his stepsister and I know what he's thinking about her and he shouldn't be. I think if I didn't share a room with Clare he'd come into her room at night and do things, or maybe it's Glen that keeps him out. Jake parks at the school and the three of us walk in together; at least he leaves us when he goes to his locker.

"Mom doesn't look good Clare, she was so weak when I went in this morning," I tell her.

"I know, she wouldn't let me do anything to help her, she kept telling me she needed to rest. I'm going to try and go home at lunch to check on her and get her to eat something," Clare tells me.

"How are you going to manage that with Jake constantly watching us?" I question.

"I don't know," she admits.

"If you manage to get home then I want to come with you, I'm really worried about Mom," I tell her.

"Okay, I'll meet you at lunch, you should get to your locker and get your books before he comes looking for us again," she says to me.

I nod and walk toward my locker. Tris and Zig, my best friends, are at their lockers and they smile at me.

"Hey Maya," Tris says closing his locker.

"Hi guys," I reply opening my locker.

"You missed a great movie this weekend," Zig tells me, they had invited me to a movie this weekend but of course Glen wouldn't let me go.

"Sorry it was family time since Glen didn't have to work this weekend," I lie.

We talk a little as I get out my books, then start heading for our class. We get to English class and sit at our desks; they begin telling me about the movie. All I can think about while they're talking is hoping that Mom is going to be okay.

**(CLARE)**

"Are you eating lunch with me and Eli?" Adam asks when the bell rings for lunch.

Eli is my other best friend and we're affectionately known around school as The Misfits.

"I have to go meet Maya," I tell Adam and he nods.

I find my sister at her locker with Zig and Tris; she's putting away books and tells Zig and Tris she's eating with me. She closes her locker and we start walking for the front doors but then Jake appears in front of us just before we reach the front doors.

"Where do you two think you're going?" Jake asks.

"We're eating outside, it's such a nice day out and we didn't get out all weekend," I tell him.

Jake looks like he's about to say no but then he watches Fitz, Owen, Drew and Bianca going outside and for whatever reason he says okay. Jake has our lunches; he always has our lunches to keep us from eating too much. We go outside and sit at the picnic table across from Bianca and the others; Jake gives me a banana and Maya a yogurt while he starts eating a large sandwich. I don't remember when exactly but I figured out once that Glen and Jake feed us enough to get us through the day and keep us from being malnourished because that would attract attention. Last year my breasts came in and Glen started feeding me more fat around my period, which I came to realize was because my breasts grew the more weight I put on, I tended to put on weight around my period. Not that I'm fat mind you, we have too many chores and we don't eat enough but I've become, as Glen puts it, voluptuous.

Maya turns to me and whispers very softly, "Go." She's telling me to find a way to sneak home because we can't both go.

"I have to use the washroom," I say and Jake looks at me but he keeps glancing at Bianca's table.

Jake just nods and I get up going into the school, then I run through the school and out the back door that leads to the football field. Then I run through field and through the ravine until I come out two blocks from home. I know Jake will realize I'm missing and be angry but I have to check on Mom. When I get home I see Glen's truck there, I don't think he usually comes home for lunch so I'm worried about what he's doing here. The front door is unlocked and as soon as I have the door open I hear him hitting Mom. She was already so weak I don't think she can take anymore. I slam the door and run in, Mom is crumpled on the floor next to the sofa and Glen is kicking her.

"YOU WORTHLESS WHORE CAN'T EVEN MAKE A LUNCH! LOOK AT YOU YOU'RE PATHETIC! UGLY AND FRUMPY! YOU'RE LUCKY I'M WITH YOU, NO OTHER MAN WOULD EVER WANT YOU!"

Mom coughs up blood and I run over grabbing onto Glen without thinking but I just want him to stop!

"STOP IT! LEAVE HER ALONE!" I scream at him pulling him away.

Glen turns his anger on me and grabbing my shirt lifts me up tossing me into the bookshelf on the opposite wall! I hit with a crash and fall to the floor as Mom very weakly tries to say my name and coughs up some more blood. I start crying, not from the pain I'm in but because I'm worried about my mom.

"You get your ass up and make me some lunch," Glen orders Mom and then he grabs my shirt again standing me up. "You little shit you have to get back to school," he tells me in a malicious voice as he releases my shirt and grabs the back of my neck squeezing hard just where Jake was doing so yesterday. We walk out of the house and he pushes me into his truck. "You know better than to leave school, I expect this behavior from Maya but not from you. There will be severe consequences for this Clare; I don't know what yet but I have the rest of the day to think of a fitting punishment. Now you get back to lunch and you stay and come straight home after school."

"Mom needs a doctor," I plead wiping my tears as he parks near the school but not so close that people can see us.

"You're mom needs to do as she's told and let me make this very clear, if you breathe a word of what you saw at home to anyone I'll make you regret it and I'll make Maya regret it as well."

I bite my lip and take a shuddering breath but I know these aren't idle threats. If we even try to talk then his anger will turn to us, Mom is too weak to protect us and we have nowhere to go. I nod slowly and get out of the truck, walking the short distance back to school and forcing a smile on my face. Owen watches me as I walk past their table, probably wondering where I went. I sit down next to Maya again, letting my smile fall now that my back is to everyone and she knows it's worse.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Jake questions in a low voice.

"I went home to check on Mom," I reply.

"You did what?" He growls a little louder and a couple grade 10's walking by our table look over.

"Glen was home, he was beating Mom again," I say.

"What?" Maya breathes.

"You two better shut up, lunch is over get inside," Jake commands.

I'm not hungry anymore anyway so I take Maya's hand and we go inside. I take her upstairs to the girl's washroom, checking to be sure no one is around and as soon as the door is closed Maya starts crying.

"Clare what are we going to do? He was beating her again and she was already so weak," Maya wails.

I would give anything to tell my little sister that it will be okay and we'll get through this but I just can't. Truth is I don't think it will be okay, not sure that it will ever be okay again.

"I don't know Maya, I wish I did but I just don't know," I reply in a disheartened tone as I turn around and lift my shirt to see my back in the mirror. I'm already getting bruises from hitting the bookshelf.

"What did he do to you?" Maya questions rushing over to look at my back.

"He threw me into the bookshelf," I reply and she starts crying more.

"I'm okay Maya, it's just bruises, worry about Mom, not me. Come on lets go get our books and I'll take you to class," I tell my sister.

She washes her face and we leave the washroom walking downstairs again, we go to her locker and I take her to her class. My next class is art and I don't need my books for that, we still have a few minutes before the bell but I go into the classroom and sit at my table putting my head down on my arms.

"Clare? You okay?" Bianca questions putting a hand on my back, hitting some of the bruising and I flinch in pain.

Bianca takes her hand away and I look up to see not only her but Drew, Fitz and Owen giving me a worried look. They all have the class with me but we don't usually talk unless it's for the current assignment.

"I'm fine, just not feeling well," I tell them

"Where'd you go at lunch?" Owen asks me as he sits in his seat.

"Nowhere," I reply because I can't think of anything else to say.

"We saw you run through the football field," Drew says.

Suddenly the image of mom cowering by the sofa, bruised, bloody and looking an inch from death comes flooding into my mind and I really do feel sick. "Excuse me," I say quickly getting up and rushing to the girl's washroom with Bianca following. After vomiting in the sink I rinse my mouth and Bianca stands behind me holding my hair.

"Come on, I'll take you to the nurse," Bianca says when I'm done and I nod.

Bianca walks me to the nurse and tells her I threw up; the nurse asks if I want to go home and I shake my head so she tells me to lie down. Bianca tells me to feel better and leaves, when she's gone I curl on my side facing the wall and start sobbing silently. The nurse lets me be probably just figuring I don't feel well. I decide not to go to French either as I'm still crying so I just keep lying in the nurses office. Just before the bell rings for the end of the day I leave the nurses office and grab my books from my locker then go to Maya's class to get her. When the bell rings she leaves class and I can tell she's been trying not to cry all day. Without a word we go out to the steps and when Jake comes out we get in his truck. All I can think about is getting home to check on Mom and praying that she's okay. As soon as Jake parks the truck Maya and I jump out and rush through the front door, Glen's truck is still here and when we get in I see him sitting in the arm chair looking at Mom who is now lying on the sofa.

"Mom," I cry rushing over to her with Maya just behind me. We fall to our knees; I pick up her hand as Maya lays her head on Mom's chest and begins crying. "She's so cold," I comment feeling her hand and realizing I don't feel a pulse!

"She's dead," Glen says with absolutely no emotion in his voice.

"What?" I breathe out.

"NO!" Maya screams gripping Mom's dress, "No she can't be dead!"

"STOP YOUR SNIVELING," Glen yells, we both flinch and swallow our tears as best we can but only out of fear. "Your worthless mother is gone, she's dead none of your crying is going to bring her back! Now shut up! Both of you get a sheet to wrap her body," Glen orders.

"We have to call the cops," I say between choking back tears.

"We what?" Glen snarls grabbing me by my hair and yanking hard! "No one is to know that she is dead, no one outside of this house can ever know that that bitch died! When it's dark we're going to bury her in the backyard now go get a fucking sheet to wrap her body!"

Glen pushes me away; Maya is hysterical and can't move. I on the other hand am terrified and I run to the closet getting out a sheet. I try to hand it to Glen but he won't take it, he just pushes it back at me.

"You two wrap her body, Jake get some duct tape," Glen commands, his voice is so eerily calm it gives me the chills. He killed our mom, his wife and he doesn't even care and all he wants to do about it is bury her in the backyard so that nobody ever knows.

Maya can hardly breathe she's crying so hysterically and she's clinging to Mom. I try to pull at her but she won't let go of Mom.

"No no no no Mom you can't be dead!" Maya just repeats over and over.

"CONTROL HER OR I WILL!" Glen yells kicking the coffee table violently.

Afraid of what Glen will do to Maya I have to rip her away from Mom. "Maya stop or Glen will hurt you," I whisper hugging her tightly.

Maya sniffles and stops crying aloud but curls up and sobs silently on her knees. Glen barks at me to wrap Mom up and I spread out the sheet. Then pulling my mom's cold lifeless body of the sofa I try to lower her gently but she falls with a hard THUD and I start crying hard again. Glen yells at me to shut up but I just can't, I fold the sheet over my mom in a shroud. When she's covered, I hear Jake unrolling the duct tape from the roll, the tape sounds like it's screaming and it's the most horrible, terrifying sound I've ever heard.

**Update next Sunday from right about here and burying Helen.**


	2. Salted Water on Cold Hard Ground

**I warned you last week that this story was intense but I promise to balance it with fluff and cuteness so you aren't overwhelmed by dark intensity.**

**Ch.2 Salted Water on Cold Hard Ground**

**(CLARE)**

Jake unrolls a very long piece of tape and begins wrapping it around Mom's body. I close my eyes and try to look away but Glen snaps at me to open my eyes again and I do out of fear. Maya has stopped crying aloud but she's turned her head into me and is sobbing silently. I stroke her hair, holding her close and wishing desperately I could comfort her somehow but nothing I say could ever make this better. I only hope that she can somehow black this all out, that we somehow both can. Watching Jake wrap tape around my mother's shrouded body is surreal, in the back of my mind I keep telling myself this is a dream that this can't possibly happen, while we've lived in fear of my stepfather for years this can't be real.

"Leave it," Glen says when Jake has finished and my stomach churns at the fact that he called my mother it! "You two get upstairs and in your room," Glen tells us but neither of us can seem to move. "NOW!"

I stand up and pull Maya with me; taking her hand I drag her upstairs to our room. When we're in our room I close and lock the door. Maya crawls onto her bed, curling up and putting her arms around her knees and now she's sobbing furiously. I get on the bed with her and hug her again, we stay like that for hours, just crying and not saying anything, we don't move, we don't eat we just sit there and cry. Sometime after dark Maya regains the ability to speak.

"He killed her! He killed our mom! He's going to kill us! We have to go to the police! We have to do something! Clare she's dead! He killed her!" Maya wails, it's like everything has hit her at once and it all comes out at once and she can't stop.

There is nothing I can say, nothing that will make her feel any better, nothing to assuage her fears, my fears. All I can do is hold my little sister and hope that we don't meet the same fate as our mother.

"CLARE! MAYA!" Glen screams for us both and we both jump.

"Come on Maya if we don't go down he's just going to come up and drag us down. We have to survive Maya, we have to live for Mom and get away from him," I tell her standing up from the bed and taking Maya's hand pull her up.

I put an arm around her and take her downstairs, Glen is holding mom's body and Jake holds a shovel. Jake has an odd smile on his face, like this is all wonderfully amusing for him, some sort of game he gets to play.

"Time to bury it," Glen says and the cold way in which he speaks gives me the chills.

Jake walks first and opens the back door; Glen follows and then barks at us to follow him. We pass the kitchen and I see the clock on the microwave; 12:09 it reads meaning it's after midnight and we've been crying in our room for 8 hours. There are no streetlights back here and the moon is silvered tonight, I can see only one other house from back here with a light on. We don't have any lights at all, I can hardly see the ground but I hear the shovel going into the dirt. I cringe at the noise, the ground breaking; the soil scraping at the metal of the shovel scrapes at my raw nerves. Glen drops Mom's body to the ground and it lands with a soft thud. I stand holding Maya, she holding me, we shiver in the night air but we can't cry we have no more tears to cry. Jake digs for a while; the misshapen hole is only a little over a foot wide and just long enough to fit her body. He digs very deep though, deep enough that the hole is above his head by nearly a foot. Jake climbs out of the hole with some help from Glen, when Jake is out again Glen kicks mom's body and rolls into the hole. Maya cringes turning her head into me and I hold her tighter, swallowing hard, my breath seizing in my throat as Jake begins shoveling dirt back in the hole. By the time it's done my legs are aching from standing so long but Glen wouldn't let us sit. Jake pats the dirt down and we go inside, I feel ill, I want to cry but I have no tears just yet, I still feel like this isn't real, how could this possibly be real?

"Jake you're a mess, go shower," Glen says when we're inside and then he looks at me, "Clare go with him and wash him up," Glen orders and I blink at him.

"Excuse me?" I exhale aghast.

"Get in the shower with him and wash all the dirt off him," Glen says again with clenched teeth.

Maya shakes her head and clings to me, "What about Maya?" I ask more worried about her than my own safety.

"She can go to bed, upstairs Maya get in bed," Glen orders her but she shakes her head again.

"Go, get in bed I'll be okay," I tell her and gently push her to the stairs, when she's away from me Maya runs upstairs to get away from Glen and Jake I am sure.

When I look back at Glen he's talking to Jake in a hushed voice, I can't quite make out what they're saying but it seems to be about me being the shower with Jake. My heart starts to pound; my stomach sinks and begins to churn at the prospect of what they might be discussing.

"Wash all the dirt off him, don't look so scared Clare he won't touch you," Glen tells me in a cool voice like he's trying to comfort me after a nightmare.

"This is absurd he's my stepbrother!" I snap at Glen.

Glen takes a few steps toward me, I step back but it doesn't matter his arm reaches out and his hand clasps around my neck. He doesn't squeeze, I can still breathe, and his fingers are hardly even touching my skin. Doesn't matter though, I can feel the warmth of his hand around my neck and I feel like the air is leaving my body.

"You are nothing Clare, you do as I say or you will end up in the ground with your mother!" Glen growls as I grip his wrist trying to pull his hand away, despite the fact that he isn't strangling me at all.

Glen releases me and pushes me toward the stairs with such a force that I fall forward.

"Come on, I'm dying to see you without clothes," Jake grins grabbing my arm and hauling me up. He pulls me upstairs to the washroom that the three of us kids share. Jake pulls me in and closes the washroom door turning on the shower. He starts to undress and I just stare at him. "You plan on getting in the shower with your clothes on?" He smirks.

"I'm not going to be naked in a shower with you, you're my stepbrother," I bite back.

Jake only shrugs so I slip off my shoes and get in the shower, Jake gets in under the water, he hands me the body wash and I look at the shower pouf.

"No I'm not allowed to touch you tonight but you are supposed to wash me and I want you to use your hands."

I swallow hard; biting my lip I dispense some body wash into my hand. Closing my eyes I proceed to wash Jake as fast as I can. When the dirt is off I get out of the shower and grab a towel, I open the door to the washroom and see Glen standing there.

"He's clean can I go to bed now?" I request unable to really look him in the eye.

"Yes, get some sleep you'll need it," Glen says in a chillingly foreboding voice.

I run across the hall to our bedroom and slam the door behind me. Maya sits up and looks at me; I lock our door turn out the light and get off my wet clothes. I quickly get into my pajamas and get into bed, Maya comes over and I let her in the bed with me. We curl up and cry ourselves to sleep, I'm not sure how long we sleep but pounding on our door in the morning wakes us up. We both jolt up as Glen tells us to get dressed and be downstairs in five minutes.

"We better get up and get down there, if we don't he'll just get angrier. At least we can go to school and get away from him, as soon as we're away from him we'll tell someone what happened," I tell Maya but keep my voice low incase Jake or Glen is listening.

"Clare," Maya says after I've gotten up and gone to the closet to get clothes.

"Yeah?"

"It's after ten, school's already started we aren't going today," she informs me.

"He can't keep us home forever, let's just get through the day," I advise doing everything I can to be strong for us both.

We quickly get dressed and walk downstairs, I don't know about Maya but I feel like I'm in a fog, like I'm still dreaming. Glen gives us an odd look; he looks us over dressed in sweat pants and t-shirts with a disapproving scowl.

"You won't be wearing clothes like that any longer, things are changing and there are new rules in this house. Sit down," Glen orders and we sit on the sofa. "First anything that goes on in this house is never to be spoken of. If you so much as attempt it you will wish you were in the ground with your mother. As I told you last night you cannot tell anyone that your mother is dead, as far as the rest of the world knows Helen is still alive and we will keep it that way. Rule two is that you girls will from now on wear what we tell you," Glen informs us and Maya squeezes my hand tightly, I squeeze back as I can't believe what I'm hearing. "You can still wear some of your old clothes at school to keep up appearances that everything is normal. At home you will wear a uniform of sorts, I sent Jake out for them this morning," Glen says and Jake produces two outfits, a smaller black one obviously meant for Maya which consists of a black top that has a deep neckline and a tiny pleated mini skirt. The one obviously meant for me is nearly exactly the same but it's red instead of black. "Along with those, you will wear these," Glen tells us pulling out two velvet chokers. "You must wear these chokers at all times, do not take them off or the punishments will be severe. Is that clear?" Glen questions and both Maya and I nod as if zombies.

"_This has to be a dream, I fell asleep in front of the TV and I'm dreaming." _It's all I can think because this seems more like a movie of the week than my life. You know those awful crimes you hear about where the girls were held captive in a basement for years and no one ever knew. I'm just frozen, I can't move at all, it occurs to me that I must be in shock, probably still in shock from last night, that would explain this zombie feeling. I feel a hand pulling the hair away from the back of my neck and I flinch instinctually. It's Jake holding up my hair as Glen fastens the choker around my neck. I bite my lip, tears start flooding my eyes and I squeeze Maya's hand as the soft feel of the velvet choker makes me realize this is all indeed very real.

"There that looks perfect, I love the way the red brings out the soft white of your skin Clare," Glen says and I feel like vomiting. Then they fasten Maya's choker around her neck and she squeezes my hand, closing her eyes and trying not to cry. "Rule three, you two are now servants in this house, you must be up before us to cook breakfast and make lunches, you come straight home after school and have dinner on the table by six. You cannot eat until after we have eaten and you get what is left, you stand at our sides while we eat in case we need anything. You both will do all the cleaning and laundry as well and as soon as you get home from school you must put on your house clothes as you need to do right now."

Now my flight instinct kicks in, I let go of Maya and run upstairs to our room grabbing my cell phone. I hit speed dial which calls Eli but he doesn't answer so I begin to call 911 when Jake runs in and grabs the phone away from me and pushes me back onto my bed!

"You stupid bitch! No one is going to help you, no one would believe you anyway," Jake says in a voice that's both growling and maniacally laughing at the same time.

"That was very stupid Clare, here I am giving you the house rules and you're already trying to break one. You will have to be punished for that," Glen says grabbing my wrist and pulling me downstairs with Jake following behind.

"Go to hell you fucking psychotic bastard! You can do whatever you want I will never be your servant!" I spit at him.

"You're right about one thing," Glen says with a sadistically pleasured grin when we reach the bottom of the stairs. "If I punish you then you only become angrier, if I punish your sister for your misbehavior then you learn to behave to save her from pain," he tells me looking at Maya.

"NO YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER SHE'S JUST A KID!" I scream trying to hit him but he tosses me to Jake.

"Hold her, by the hair so she can't get away or hit you," Glen instructs Jake.

Jake takes a fistful of my hair and yanks me back as Glen walks over to Maya pulling her up by the hair and she screams! I start crying as I watch Glen drag her to dinner table and force her to bend over the table. I struggle against Jake put he pulls at my hair and I shriek. Glen takes a wooden spoon from the crock on the counter and the he hits Maya on the butt with it with all his force! She screams, I scream and Glen hits her again! Then again and again and again!

"STOP!" I scream hearing my younger sister in pain breaks my heart.

"Here Jake you have to know how to properly discipline, I'm sure we'll be doing a lot of it," Glen says handing the spoon to Jake.

The two of them switch places, Glen taking hold of my hair, Jake holding Maya's and then Jake starts beating her with the wooden spoon. It's not even spanking he's just hitting her everywhere from the lower back to the upper thighs.

"Stop please," I beg Glen.

"Listen to her painful cries Clare and burn them into your mind. Every time you disobey me I will make sure she cries like that," Glen whispers in my ear and my skin crawls.

"I'll do anything, I won't fight, I won't talk, I'll do everything you tell me but please make him stop," I beg with Glen, Maya's cries of humiliating pain break my spirit and my will. I will do whatever it takes to protect her and keep her from this kind of pain again.

"That's enough Jake, carry Maya upstairs so Clare can attend to her," Glen orders and Jake stops, but he tosses Maya over his shoulder. "One last rule since Clare felt such the need to use the phone. Your cells will now be handed over the second you return home and given to you again when you go out so we can get a hold of you. Your cell phones will be tracked so we can keep an eye on your whereabouts. You will answer the house phone as part of your duties but all phone calls will be recorded. Now Jake will take Maya upstairs and she can rest for the remainder of the day so that she can walk at school tomorrow, everything must appear normal don't forget. I am must run some more errands, once you have your sister settled you will change into your uniform and begin preparing lunch am I clear?"

"Yes," I nod feeling tears slip through my eyes and trapped.

**(FITZ)**

I got to school and was hoping to see Maya there but I didn't see her at all before first period. My first period class was parenting which Clare should have been in but she wasn't there either. Owen is there at the table we sit at with Bianca and I take my seat.

"You seen Clare this morning? Or Maya?" I ask.

"No haven't seen Jake either, looks like the whole family is out," Owen responds looking at Clare's empty seat.

"Uh how well do you know Maya?" I question.

"I don't know, not that well, she's Tristan's friend. She comes to the house sometimes but I've never really hung out with them," Owen shrugs.

"What's she like?"

"Wait! Do you have the hots for her?" Owen questions.

"No, I mean I've noticed her before coming into the Dot with Clare and a lot since school started," I reply.

"You do have a crush on her!" Owen grins.

"Yeah fine I have a crush on her but don't tell nobody ok? She's three years younger than me and starting out at a new school. I do like her but I doubt anything will ever happen with it. You have to admit she's pretty," I remark in a low voice as other people have come in the class now.

"Yeah I guess, to me she's just my brother's friend, hard for me to see her as anything but a kid," Owen shrugs but Bianca sits down and we stop talking.

After class gets out I go to my locker to get out my math book. Somehow I ended up in a university track math class and I hardly understood anything. We were only three weeks in and I was already sure I was failing out of that class.

"Hey Adam you know where Clare is today?" I question him.

"Connor said her stepdad called in, the whole family ate some bad fish and now they all have food poisoning. Clare should be back tomorrow along with Jake and Maya," Adam says.

At lunch I meet Drew, Bianca and Owen on the steps to eat lunch. I tell them what Adam told me about the family being out with food poisoning.

"That sucks I hope they're okay, their stepbrother is a little creepy but I like Clare, and Maya seems like a good kid," Bianca comments.

"Yeah she's one of Tris' best friend's and she's sweet, real good with music too. And Clare's good at pretty much everything," Owen remarks and I look at him as I begin to think he has a crush on Clare. "Any of you guys know Jake very well?" Owen asks after a minute.

"I have one class with him but I wouldn't say I know him very well," Drew replies.

"Yeah I have one class with him too but he doesn't say too much, he's kind of a loner I guess. Far as I can tell Maya and Clare avoid him whenever possible," Owen comments.

"Well they are stepsiblings maybe that's normal. I mean it's not as though you spend a lot of time with Tris," Bianca points out.

"Yeah but he's almost four years younger than me and we have nothing in common, but I protect him and he knows he can come to me," Owen replies.

"Adam and me were never like that, of course our parents adopted the other and we've always considered each other blood," Drew says.

"Yeah well I'm an only kid so I have no idea," Bianca shrugs.

"I hate my stepbrother, my stepfather too, we avoid each other at all costs so I can relate," I respond.

"Yeah but you guys have only been a family for a few years and Steve's an ass, plus you guys are the same age. Jake's an older brother and he should be at least a little more protective or interested in his sisters," Owen says.

"Yeah as an older brother I can agree there," Drew says as the bell rings.

We gather our stuff and go inside, all of our lockers are near each other and we all have art next so we stay together. For our first week in art we did clay sculptures, the last two weeks we did abstract paintings. Yesterday we'd watched a movie in class about great works of art. I took art 'cause I figured it would be fairly easy, I mean art is objective right so it would take a lot to fail out of this class. I honestly didn't think I would like it very much but I actually do like it.

"Alright class today we are going to begin sketching, pencil sketches of still lives. I have a number of objects in the basket, break into groups of four and each of you pick one object from the basket. You will put the objects together in any way you like and draw all the objects as you have them arranged. You don't need to finish today so don't rush," Mrs. Dawes tells us.

Of course Drew, Bianca, Owen and me all form a group. We get to the basket first as the other kids are still trying to form groups.

"Of course you find the one phallic object in the whole basket," Bianca laughs when Drew picks out a plastic banana.

"What?" Drew grins and then B picks out a flower.

"Seriously you two? A banana and a flower?" Owen laughs.

"What's wrong with it?" Drew questions.

"Just a Freudian slip I'm sure," Owen remarks with a grin, Bianca laughs but me and Drew are confused.

Owen picks plastic grapes so I choose a book deciding we can place all the objects on it. We arrange them on the table and move easels over, then we begin sketching. I work for about ten minutes just getting the shapes and outlines down.

"Fitz that is excellent, very good work," Mrs. Dawes smiles. No teacher has ever told me that schoolwork was excellent, I grin and keep working.

"Whoa nice dude, your picture actually looks like stuff," Owen grins when the bell rings and we start putting our stuff away.

"Fitz you can draw how come you never told us?" Bianca asks.

"I never knew, never tried to draw before," I shrug but I'm grinning, compliments are not something I get often.

Drew and I have a spare next but Owen has vehicle maintenance and Bianca has understanding law. Drew and I wave to them and go to sit in the memorial garden to work on our homework.

"Man I hate math it might as well be gibberish all this stuff," I sigh setting down my math book after staring at it for a few minutes.

"Don't look at me I suck at math too but Adam could probably help you," Drew says.

"How are things with you and Bianca?" I ask putting away my book and deciding I'd rather talk and do homework.

"Great, I've never been so happy in a relationship, B just gets me," Drew grins and I can see how happy he is. "Don't tell anyone I said this but I'm pretty sure I'm in love with her. I sometimes lie in bed at night and think about our future together," Drew admits.

"Yeah I kind of know what you mean, not that I'm in love or anything but there is this girl I like and I have found her entering my mind lately. I don't know her that well but I first noticed her this summer," I confess to Drew and he smiles while all I can think of now is Maya.

**Update next Sunday starting with Clare, Maya and Jake returning to school.**


	3. No More Time for Dreamin'

**As you all know Christlove88 requested this story and helped me with the plots. She has also written some of her own and I highly recommend you go read them. Her first, a one shot entitled "Scared Trail" is excellent. Yesterday she posted the first chapter of "I Don't Understand It" a very touching Clowen story. So go read them both as soon as you're done with this chapter which really isn't intense today and I still made sure to add plenty of fluff.**

**Ch.3 No More Time For Dreamin'**

**(CLARE)**

Maya cries as I cover her with the blanket, Jake leans in the doorway watching us like his father's guard dog. After what they did to Maya I won't try anything, not today and probably not ever, not if they can hurt Maya.

"Just rest, try to sleep I'll get you some water," I tell her swallowing the tears that I feel at my eyes, I need to be strong for Maya.

I get off the bed and Jake lets me pass, I run downstairs grabbing a reusable water bottle we keep in the fridge. I'm afraid to leave Jake alone with her so I run back up but Jake is still leaning in the doorway. Maya lies on her stomach; I stroke her hair and set the water bottle on her nightstand.

"She's settled now change into your uniform and start making lunch," Jake commands and I close my eyes, swallowing back the tears at my eyes and the bile in my throat. Maya grabs my hand but I'm afraid that if I don't obey they'll hurt her again.

"I'll be okay, just rest I'll keep them away from you for the rest of the day," I tell her, "if I can," I add under my breath.

I get off her bed, take the uniform from Jake and walk into the washroom locking the door behind me. Slowly taking the uniform from the hanger, the deep red color is sickening to me. When I don't move fast enough Jake bangs on the door and I jump. I decide it's better to get it over with fast, like ripping a bandage off. I quickly undress and put on the mini skirt and low cut top. I suppose they could pass for regular clothing but they hardly cover my bra and panties. When I'm changed I open the door and Jake gives me a vile grin. Walking past him I go downstairs and begin making lunch, I know Glen said we couldn't eat with them but I still make sandwiches for us and put them in the fridge. Jake doesn't notice he's simply watching TV on the sofa; I finish making sandwiches for them and set them in the fridge until Glen gets home. I clean up and then having not been given any other orders I sit at the table and wait. Jake glances over at me every so often but he doesn't say anything. When I hear Glen's car in the driveway I get up and put their sandwiches on plates, cutting them in half. I'm putting chips and baby carrots on the plates when Glen walks in.

"Good girl," Glen smiles grotesquely pleased at me, setting several bags on the sofa.

"Can I go check on my sister please?" I request.

"Quickly," Glen says as he and Jake sit at the table.

Grabbing the sandwiches from the fridge I go upstairs as fast as I can. Maya looks over at me when I enter; she looks so dismayed when she sees me in uniform. I sit on the edge of the bed and hand her the sandwich. She eats pretty quickly, eating the whole sandwich; I'm not as hungry and only eat about half the sandwich. It's all I have time for anyway as Glen yells for me to come back downstairs.

"Get some rest," I tell Maya before going downstairs quickly. I rush into the kitchen and toss the rest of my sandwich before Glen can see.

"Jake get some tools from the garage and remove the handle from the girls bedroom door," Glen orders.

"What why?" I question.

"You girls are not allowed to lock doors anywhere, your room or the washroom or anywhere in the house, understood?" Glen asks and I nod. Jake goes into the garage and comes out with one of the toolboxes. When Jake is upstairs again Glen looks back at me, "Come here," he orders and I walk over as ordered. Glen stands and takes me to the sofa where he tells me to sit. I sit on the sofa and Glen pulls out a shoe box. He opens it and pulls out a pair of five inch red heels that match my uniform and tells me to put them on. Then he takes out a red ankle bracelet, it's a band of red leather with a buckle and it looks a little odd. "You will wear this at home with your uniform," he tells me and then pulls me up. "Do you know why I chose crimson as your color Clare?" Glen asks and I shake my head. "Because it's the color of sex," he whispers into my ear and my heart stops.

Jake returns downstairs with our bedroom door handle putting it on the table. Jake admires my full uniform now, grinning with more carnal desire than a stepbrother should have for his stepsister. At least Glen allows me to go upstairs and sit with Maya, once I've cleaned up after Jake's mess that he made taking off our door handle that is. My sister is crying and I sit on her bedside gently rubbing her back until she falls asleep. At five Jake comes up to tell me that I have to come down and start dinner. Maya is awake now and doesn't want me to go but I know if I don't Glen will hurt her again so I promise her that I'll be back with dinner for her.

"I can't wait to see Maya in her full uniform tomorrow," Jake comments as we walk downstairs.

I clench my fists but I can do nothing, better for Jake to drool over us in our uniforms then for them to beat Maya again. Glen tells me what he wants for dinner and I go into the kitchen to make it while they watch TV on the sofa. When dinner is done I set the table and they both sit, Glen makes me serve them and stand at his side while he eats. Then I have to clear the table, put away the food and wash the dishes before I'm allowed to make plates for Maya and myself. I made sure to make lots of food so that there would be leftovers even with Jake's appetite. I make one plate for the two of us, I'm not sure how much I'll eat and it's one less dish to wash. Jake and Glen go upstairs and I take the plate up to my sister. She's still lying on her stomach but props herself up to eat a bit, I let her eat her fill and I eat what's leftover. Returning downstairs to wash our dish and make sure everything is clean.

"Go to bed, you'll have to be up early don't forget," Glen says, his sudden voice making me jump.

"I'll be up," I nod and rush upstairs.

Changing quickly into my pajamas, long pants and a long sleeve shirt, white in color with snowflakes on them, they were a Christmas present from Mom last year. I help Maya up and she begins to change for bed I go out to the washroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. I almost lock the door and then stop myself. Jake comes in while I'm brushing my teeth, not a very attractive thing to watch but he still lingers there and watches me. At least he moves when I'm done and I go back to our room. Maya is ready for bed and I turn off the light getting into bed and saying a silent prayer that Glen or Jake doesn't come in the room in the middle of the night.

"Clare," my sister's timid voice breaks the silence in the dark room, "can I sleep in your bed tonight?"

"Yeah," I say lifting my covers and Maya gets in my bed.

She lies on her stomach, I put my arm across her back and we're both silent. I want to say something to make it better, tell her it's all a dream and we'll wake up in the morning and it will all better. Only I know it's not a dream, the feel of the velvet choker around my neck, like a soft noose, a chilling reminder that this is all very real. I will wake up tomorrow as a servant in my own house and after waiting on my stepfather and stepbrother will have to go to school and pretend like everything is fine. Eventually I do fall asleep, my alarm waking me up at 5:30 so that I can make breakfast. I go downstairs still in my pajamas and begin making eggs.

"What the hell are you doing?" Glen's voice makes me jump again.

"Making breakfast," I reply.

"In uniform Clare, you get up and put on your entire uniform before you start, hair brushed so that you look presentable. Now go upstairs and change, full uniform and then you'll have to start breakfast over because I am not eating cold eggs. And where is your sister?" He asks.

"She's sleeping she needs to rest," I respond.

"I let her rest all day yesterday," Glen counters in a cold voice.

"We just lost our mother, you beat her and turned us into slaves yesterday let her rest I'll make breakfast," I tell him.

"Fine but she better be in her complete uniform and helping you this afternoon," Glen orders.

I turn off the stove and run upstairs, Maya doesn't even hear me come in and I change in the washroom so she can sleep. Returning downstairs I clean out the pan and start fresh on breakfast with Glen watching everything I do. When breakfast is ready and on the table Glen makes me go upstairs to wake Jake, who I find sleeps naked. He at least puts on boxers before coming downstairs. I'm made to stand at Glen's side again while he eats and even have to wipe his mouth when he gets ketchup on his chin, something I find terribly demeaning and humiliating. When they return upstairs to get ready I clean the kitchen, pack lunches and go up to wake Maya. She hisses in pain when she moves and I see her buttocks have been made blue and purple, there are also bruises on her lower back and thighs. I help her up and she starts getting dressed in clothes for school, pink capri sweats and a white t-shirt, I'm sure Glen will say something about her choice of clothing but there is little he can do about it for today. I change into jeans and a yellow top, covering as much of myself as I can.

We have only enough time to grab granola bars for breakfast; Glen goes over the rules one more time and removes my ankle bracelet. I'm still not sure what's so special about the ankle bracelet but at least we can take it off, unlike our chokers. Glen tells us he's staying home from work again and expects us home directly after school. Finally we get in the truck with Jake, we start eating our granola bars while Jake drives us to school.

"Remember not a word to anyone about anything," Jake reminds us when he parks at school.

"What do we tell people about the chokers?" Maya asks.

"Tell them they were a gift from your loving stepfather and stepbrother," Jake responds laughing slightly.

He gets out of the truck and we follow, Maya has her arm linked with mine and she's walking slowly.

"I could was barely able to sit in the truck I'm never going to make it through a whole day sitting in those hard desks. But if I go home then I'm alone with Glen," Maya complains.

"I'll get you something; can you make it to Zig and Tris on the steps?" I ask her.

She nods and lets go of my arm, I walk along the fenced edge of the woods closer to the football field. The fence stops and I can go past it into the ravine, even before Alli dragged me here I knew how to get to the ravine from Jay and Spinner. Alli's family moved away shortly after that night she slept with Johnny.

"Hey cutie what are you doing here?" Asks a boy in a black sleeveless t-shirt and jeans, he looks like he hasn't left here in days.

"I need something for pain, something strong that can numb the person all day. Skinny, but a couple inches taller than me and about 90 pounds," I tell them in a firm voice.

"I got what you need," says a boy with long blonde hair, he reminds me vaguely of Johnny only he doesn't seem as nice or as intelligent. He takes a bag from his pocket and searches through the pills. He takes out a white diamond shaped one and breaks it in half, "Just half should be plenty," he says holding out the pill but then yanks it back, "$20."

I of course have no money; Maya and I were rarely allowed to carry money of our own even before Mom died. "I'll pay you at lunch," I tell him.

"How about I just take it out in trade now," he responds putting a hand at my lower back and grabbing my arm.

"LET HER GO!" Owen's voice growls suddenly and he grabs the guy by the collar shoving him away. Owen takes the pill and hands it to me, then takes out his wallet and drops $20 on the guy. "You okay?" Owen asks and I nod as we start walking back to school.

"Thanks, I'll pay you back," I tell him when we emerge from the tree line back on school property.

"Don't worry about it but what do you need a Vicodin for anyhow?" Owen asks.

"It's for Maya," I respond without really thinking.

"Is she okay? I heard you were all sick yesterday," Owen says.

I should have known that Glen called in and made an excuse, "Yeah she's fine, she…ummm…got dizzy yesterday and fell on her butt on the stairs. She's fine just bruised that's all and she's worried about sitting all day in the hard desks." Yep that lie will work; everything is fine, all is normal. I wish Owen didn't smell so good, I wish he wasn't so close, actually I wish he was closer.

**(OWEN)**

"Well I'm glad you guys are okay," I tell her with a smile that she doesn't seem able to return.

"Yeah me too," she says softly, "how'd you know I was in the ravine anyway?"

"I followed you," I admit and now she smiles just as Connor runs down the stairs to us.

"Mr. Simpson wants to see you Clare," he tells her.

"Okay," she nods.

"Here give me the pill I'll give it to Maya, she needs to take it with food has she eaten today?" I question Clare.

"Just a granola bar, it's all we had time for this morning," Clare tells me and I notice that her normally sparkling blue eyes seem rather sad this morning.

"I'll grab her something from the caf, you want anything?" I query and she shakes her head.

"No, not that hungry, thanks Owen and I will pay you back," she tells me.

"It's fine don't worry about it, you better go see what Simpson wants," I say. She gives me a soft smile and walks off, Connor stares at me another second before I walk inside. I head to the caf and grab a muffin then go looking for Maya; she's standing at my brother's locker with him and Zig. "Hey Maya, your sister said you needed to eat, you two go get her some water," I order Tris and Zig; they both shrug and walk off to get a water bottle.

"Thanks Owen," Maya smiles.

"She also said you fell and needed this," I say handing her the Vicodin, eat the muffin first you need something in your stomach.

"Yeah it really hurts, thanks," she says.

I grin and walk away to my locker wondering why Principal Simpson wanted to see Clare. Fitz is standing with Drew and Bianca at B's locker so I join them.

"Clare, Maya and Jake are back today," Bianca tells me.

"Yeah I know I saw both Clare and Maya already. Simpson wanted to see Clare," I inform them.

"I wonder what about?" Fitz asks.

"Probably missed homework or something," Bianca shrugs and then I see Clare approaching our group.

"Fitz," she speaks up and the others turn around to look at her, she smiles a little when she sees us all looking at her.

"Hey Clare, feeling better?" Fitz questions her.

"Yeah a lot better thanks. Principal Simpson said you needed help in math, he wants me to tutor you," she tells him and I suddenly wish I was failing math.

"Cool," Fitz grins.

"I just can't do it after school, at least not very often, possibly never," she starts to ramble and quickly corrects herself. "I mean you generally work after school anyway right?" She asks.

"Yeah," he grins and she smiles again she seems more at ease with us now.

"Great, so lunch then? Picnic tables outside or the memorial garden?" She offers.

"Picnic tables are good," Fitz says.

"Good well I need to get to my locker before class," she tells us and walks off.

I walk to my locker too but it's only a few down from B's locker so it's not a far walk. When the bell rings the four of us walk down the hall, we leave Drew at his English class which he has with Jake. The rest of us have parenting, a class we have with Clare, as well as K.C. and Jenna. In class the teacher pairs us off and I get paired with Clare, the teacher just did it by table since Clare sits with us anyway because she hasn't been friends with K.C. and Jenna since he left Clare for Jenna. We have to put together a presentation about healthy pregnancy and delivery, we'll present on Friday so we have two days to work on it.

I have to admit I spend most of our time just listening to Clare talk, I love how words roll off her tongue, the way her cherub lips form each vowel and syllable. Her clear crystal blue eyes twinkle when she talks and I love the way her nose scrunches up when she gets annoyed. When class is done the four of us walk out together, I have business leadership next with Drew and Eli while Fitz and Clare have math. The class seems to drag by; although it could be that I don't have Clare's beautiful face to look at in this class. Finally though the bell rings and now it's lunch time, I know Clare is meeting Fitz outside on the picnic tables to tutor him so I convince Drew and Bianca to eat out there too. Clare and Fitz sit at the middle table; they're on the same bench facing the football field. We sit at the table closest to the football field, Drew and Bianca facing the field and I'm facing Clare and Fitz.

"Stop gawking," Bianca says after a while tossing a chip at me.

"I wasn't gawking," I argue.

"Why don't you just tell Clare that you like her," Drew suggests taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Because I doubt she likes me back," I reply and look up at her when she giggles.

Fitz is smiling too, he must have told a joke or something. Clare tutors him all through lunch, she doesn't seem to eat all that much though, a few baby carrots and some yogurt. We stay outside with them, Drew and I talking football and Bianca falling asleep against Drew with the sports talk boring her enough to sleep. After lunch we walk in with Fitz and Clare, all of us have art now so I know I'll see her in a few minutes when we split to go to our lockers.

"Oh Clare, the groups divided up yesterday," Miss Dawes says when we all enter class together.

"She can join our group," I speak up and Clare smiles at me.

"Thank you Owen can you show her the objects and explain the project to her please?" Miss Dawes requests.

"Each of us picked an object yesterday, Drew chose the banana and Bianca the flower," I tell her and she giggles, "yeah I know, Freudian slip. I chose the grapes and Fitz the book, then we arranged them and we have sketch them. It's not due till Friday so don't worry about finishing. Fitz's picture is the only one that looks like anything though."

"Let me see Fitz," she requests and I walk over to get her an easel. "Fitz that's amazing," Clare gushes when she sees his picture.

"Thanks, didn't even know I had the talent myself," he blushes.

"Here's an easel," I tell her moving Drew's over so she can work next to me and he snickers.

We start back on our sketches and Clare begins on hers, she at least gets a rough outline of everything by the time class is over. She packs her stuff and walks out of class quickly, since there's only one art class in the room we don't have to move any of our stuff. My last class of the day is auto shop which I have with Jake and Eli. Our teacher is really cool; he used to go to DeGrassi and did a tour in the army before moving back and getting his accreditation. He's only been teaching since the end of the year last year, and this year is the first that he's had the classroom to himself and not as a TA. He's cool though and he lets us call him Sean instead of Mr. Cameron. Actually I knew of him before he started teaching, stories pass among kids at the ravine, Bianca, Fitz and I had heard all about how he saved the day during a school shooting, stole Mr. Simpson's laptop and was framed with drugs in his locker. Of course the three of us all had our own stories floating around the ravine even though we no longer hung out there.

"Hey Sean," I greet coming into class.

"Hi Owen," he smiles.

Jake comes into class and other students start filtering in, Eli is last but he already knows most of the material because he works on his antique hearse a lot. After class I stay and help Sean clean up since football practice doesn't start for another half hour, then we walk out together, Sean wants to get home to his girlfriend and I need to get to the locker room. We turn a corner and run smack into Clare and Maya who seem to be running for the entrance. I ran into Maya and catch her by the arms before she falls; Sean does the same with Clare since he ran into her.

"You girls okay?" Sean asks.

"Yeah sorry Sean just in a hurry Jake is waiting," Clare tells him rapidly then grabs Maya's hand and they run for the door.

"Did she mean Jake from class?" Sean asks me and I nod. "Are they dating or something?" He questions and I laugh.

"No he's their stepbrother," I explain.

"Their? Wait I do remember that Clare had a younger sister but she'd been sent away. Does Darcy even know she has a stepbrother?" Sean queries and I wrinkle my brow.

"Who the hell is Darcy?" I inquire.

"Clare's older sister, Maya's too but as I said Maya had been sent away and I never did meet her before I joined the army. I only met Clare a few times; I knew Darcy had left by the time I came home. Clare remembered me but I didn't know her very well so I didn't think it was my place to check on her," Sean explains, sort of I'm still a little confused.

"Maya was with her, she's besties with my younger brother. Jake's Dad married their mom a couple years ago I think but I'm not entirely sure. I better get to practice, see you tomorrow," I say and wave to Sean.

"Hey Owen," Drew greets when I'm in the locker room.

"Hey," I nod opening my locker, "did you know Clare and Maya have an older sister?" I question. I figure with Adam being best friends with Clare Drew is most likely to know things like that.

"Uh yeah Darcy I think her name is. She's in Africa and hasn't been around," Drew says.

"Did you know Clare knows Sean the auto shop teacher?"

"That I didn't know, how does she know him, she doesn't take vehicle maintenance," Drew points out.

"Not exactly sure, he just said he met her a few times before he joined the army but didn't get real specific. He did say Maya had been sent away though," I tell him.

"Hmm weird," Drew says and I nod.

I finish changing into my gear wondering what else there is about Clare that I don't know. One thing is certain, I want to know her better and I want her to know me better. I just have to figure out how to make that happen.

**Update next Sunday making a little jump of a week.**


	4. As My Childhood Treasures Burn

**So this story is going to get progressively more intense starting now but I promise to balance it out with fluff.**

**Ch.4 As My Childhood Treasures Burn**

**(JAKE)**

"Dad," I call into the house. He had texted me and told me to come home at lunch, without Clare or Maya which was odd because he still wanted me to watch them at school. I could hear him doing some drilling upstairs so I went up there. The sound was coming from my room, he was installing a metal ring above my bed, it wasn't very big, maybe three inches but was being held in by a thick steel plate.

"Oh good your home," Dad grins.

"What's that for?" I ask Dad looking at the metal ring.

"Come," Dad says and I follow him into his room seeing an identical ring above the left side of his bed, the side Helen used to sleep on. "These chains," Dad says pulling out two thick medal chains, each link is maybe an inch big and half an inch thick, "attach to the rings above our beds and the other end of the chains attach to the metal rings on the back of the girls collars."

"So we can force them to sleep in our beds?" I ask salivating at the possibilities. I loved watching Clare and Maya do their household duties in their uniforms. I wanted so badly to feel Clare's plump breasts, make Maya touch me but Dad hadn't let me do anything but watch them yet. I hoped that the chains meant forcing them to sleep in our beds which meant we could touch them.

"Yes but not just yet, it's only been a week since they started servicing duties and they are still grieving the loss of their mother. We have to be somewhat careful, they could still break the rules, and they aren't under our control yet. We won't even tell them about the rings and they'll continue to sleep in their own room and beds for at least a couple more nights," Dad tells me.

"But forcing them to sleep in our beds, that means we get to touch them right? I mean touch them however we want right?" I ask hopefully.

"Yes, we'll start this weekend contain yourself until then," Dad says and I can't wait for this weekend. "Now get back to school and keep an eye on them. We should slowly pull them away from their friends, don't let them get too close to other guys," Dad instructs and I grin.

Getting back in my truck I drive back to school, Clare is outside eating with Eli and Adam. I leave her be for now and go in to find Maya, she's eating in the caf with Zig and Tris. I sit down next to Maya and she straightens up getting a little nervous and looking at me.

"Enjoying lunch?" I ask.

"Umm yes," she says timidly.

"Eat up, you'll need your energy," I tell her and get up.

"What did he mean by that?" Zig questions as I walk away.

"Jake's weird," Maya replies.

Did she just call me weird? She'll pay for that later, time to go mess with Clare now. After we beat Maya with the spoon we've had Clare so obedient she'll hardly look at us. She's scared that one wrong look will lead to further punishments for her sister, and she's right. Grabbing my lunch from my locker I sit on the front steps and just watch her, not saying a thing just watching her. I see her get nervous; see her squirming in her seat and trying to avoid looking at me. I watch as Eli and Adam look at her worried but when they ask her what's wrong she tells them nothing. She's shrugging them off and pushing them away for us; Clare will be fully in our control in no time and once she's in our control entirely Maya will follow close behind.

**(MAYA)**

"Mo is starting a band, we should try out Maya," Zig tells me seeing the poster on the bulletin board as we walk to our lockers.

"Yes and if you guys make it I can be your first groupie," Tris smiles, "you know when I'm not busy with Eli's movie."

"Umm I don't know guys, I'm kind of busy," I say not sure how else to explain that my stepdad demands I be home straight after school to be a servant.

"Oh come on Maya you're like the best musician in the school," Tris prods.

"Auditions aren't until Friday, I'll think about it," I answer slowly.

Our afternoon classes go by all too quickly and before I know it the bell has rung and I know I have to meet Jake on the steps. I see Clare on the steps, Fitz smiles at her and says he'll see her tomorrow before he goes to work.

"You aren't looking at boys are you Maya?" Jake's low voice next to me makes me jump and I tense up.

"No just watching Clare," I shake my head.

"Was she talking to Fitz?" Jake asks.

"They have classes together and she tutors him," I point out.

Jake doesn't say anything else and we go out to the steps, Clare's smile fades when she sees Jake but I don't blame her. Without a word we follow Jake to his truck and get in, Clare slides into the middle, she almost always does so that she's between him and me. Jake drives home but he's grinning differently today, there's more carnality to it and instead of staring at me or Clare he seems to be caught up in some fantasy in his head. Glen of course isn't home when we get there, sometimes he's home and sometimes he's not but as he's his own boss he makes his own hours. As has become our routine Clare and I go upstairs and change into our uniforms. I hate these uniforms and I'm beginning to hate the color black, I'm sure my sister feels the same about crimson, not that I'm too fond of it either. Our chokers of course never come off and when we get downstairs we have to give Jake our cell phones and he puts on our matching ankle bracelets, black for me and crimson for Clare of course. We have to start with the laundry and then house cleaning, Jake sits at the table to do his homework but watches us more than doing his homework. We finish the housework in time to make dinner; I begin preparing chicken while Clare is chopping vegetables. I add the chicken to the pot and Jake is behind me suddenly, pressing me into the counter and his arms around me. He pretends to wash his hands but I feel sick now, mostly because I can feel that he's hard. Hearing the front door open we know Glen is home and Jake steps away from me.

"Clare come take my coat," Glen commands her and she goes.

As she walks past Jake he smacks her butt! It's a hard slap but it's not meant to be a punishment it's meant for Jake's pleasure and he is grinning from ear to ear now. My sister on the other hand yelps when Jake's hand hits her butt and freezes in place. Glen looks angry but not at Jake, he's angry at Clare.

"Do you have a problem with what Jake did Clare? Do you think you have rights in this house Clare?" Glen asks and she shakes her head, Glen looks at me now. "Maya do you matter?" He asks.

"No," I shake my head.

"Who matters in this house?" Glen asks.

"You and Jake," I answer.

"You know that you are less than nothing don't you Clare?" Glen asks her and Jake laughs a little.

"Yes Sir," she answers.

"Then next time Jake does that you will continue on with what you are doing. You two are worthless and exist only to take care of us. Spank her again Jake but this time Clare ask him for it," Glen orders and we both look at him like he's crazy but Glen just gives her a harsher look.

"Will you slap me on the butt again Jake," Clare says with a trembling voice.

Jake smiles like he's just been given the best Christmas present, pulling his hand back and giving Clare another slap, this one harder than the last. She yelps this time but doesn't stay frozen and walks over to Glen taking his coat. She hangs it up and we continue making dinner, after standing at Glen and Jake's side while they eat, cleaning up when they're done and eating ourselves we are finally excused to our rooms to do homework but have to remain in uniform of course.

"If it stays like this I'm going to kill them or myself," I whisper to Clare when we're behind the closed door of our room.

"Maya don't talk like that, it can't stay this way forever," she tries to assure me.

"I was thinking of trying out for a band that Mo is putting together. I want to try out, to get out of this house at least a few more hours a week but I don't think Glen will let me," I confess.

"Try out Maya, I'm sure you'll make it, you've always had a gift for music," Clare smiles at me.

"What about Glen?" I ask.

"I'll worry about Glen, I'll convince him it's necessary, he keeps saying we need to appear normal and joining a band is something normal," she says.

"Thanks Clare, you're the best I love you," I smile at my big sister.

"I love you too little girl," she smiles back calling me by the nickname Mom used to call me and I wish Mom were still here, I miss her so much.

**(CLARE)**

"I think we'll have to go over all of that again," Fitz says to me as we leave math class. "I'm so behind, I'm going to fail out," he sighs.

"No you won't, I'll get you caught up, don't worry about it," I tell him as we walk to our lockers.

We grab our lunches and decide to sit in the memorial garden for today's tutoring session. Fitz opens his book and stares at it like it's written in ancient Greek. I start going over what we learned yesterday, when Fitz still doesn't seem to get it I slow down and take a different approach and his face changes, relaxing a little so I know he's getting it.

"Thanks Clare you're a lifesaver, I don't think I'd ever understand it without you explaining," Fitz smiles.

"I knew you'd understand, we just have to find a way to get you to connect to it," I grin.

"Only because you know how to explain it," he says.

"See if you can figure out the next few problems on your own," I tell him getting out my journal and beginning to write.

_Friday October 7__th__,_

_This morning Glen woke us extra early, he wanted French toast for breakfast. I was tired after he kept me up so late. Worst of all he woke me up in the middle of a wonderful dream about Owen. I smiled when I saw him this morning; he was talking to Bianca and Drew and didn't see me. We were paired together in parenting though, he was so close and my heart flutters every time he's around. But even if he does like me back, which I doubt, Glen would never let me go out with him, he hardly lets us do anything anymore._

My writing is interrupted, not because Fitz needs my help though but because Maya suddenly bursts through the door and we both look at her.

"Clare I made it! I'm in the band, so is Zig, Imogen and Adam! We even have our first rehearsal after school," Maya squeals excitedly.

I haven't seen her this happy in ages, not since before Glen, seeing her so happy makes me smile. Fitz is smiling too, her happiness is contagious and it's a nice feeling given that lately we've forgotten what happiness is, we've felt nothing but misery and hopelessness.

"That's great Maya, congratulations I knew you would make it," I smile getting up to hug my sister.

"Thanks, I'm going to write some music, I feel so inspired now," Maya grins and rushes out of the room.

"She's excited, what was she talking about?" Fitz asks when I sit back down.

"Mo put together a band and Maya tried out, she hasn't been that excited in a while," I tell him.

"Has she been playing music long?" Fitz questions.

"Since she was about three, she's musically gifted; she picked up an instrument and just knew how to play. She can play just about any string instrument but she's sort of stopped in the last couple of years. It's nice to see her so happy and excited about it again," I reply.

"Speaking of gifts you used to write a lot didn't you? I remember you won an award in grade nine for a short story," Fitz comments.

"Yeah, I uh…haven't been writing much, aside from my journal," I tell him pointing to the journal sitting on the bench now.

"How come you haven't been writing much?" He asks.

"Umm…home has been…things are busy at home," I stumble over a response.

He opens his mouth to ask but then he goes back to his math problem. I eat a little lunch and continue helping Fitz with math getting him caught up for the week. When the bell rings Fitz walks with me to our lockers and Adam's at his.

"Congratulations on making the band," I smile hugging Adam, "watch Maya during rehearsals," I whisper in his ear, he gives me a look but he doesn't say anything.

"Thanks and I will," he tells me.

I put books in my locker and then we walk to art where we find Drew, Bianca and Owen already at our table. With Thanksgiving approaching we've been given the task of creating what Thanksgiving this year means to us in whatever medium we want. Bianca is working in clay and creating a diorama of Adam's family around a table that includes her. Drew was also working with clay but he was making him Bianca and Adam on the basement sofa watching TV and eating a lot of food. Owen and Fitz were drawing, Owen working in chalk and Fitz in pencil; Owen's drawing was about family and sports. Fitz of course was making an amazing sketch of food and friends; he drew a likeness of Owen, Drew and Bianca that looked like photographs. It was incredible and everyone had complimented on it. I had chosen paints but other than a few lines and shapes in dark colors I had nothing else on my page.

"Having trouble deciding what Thanksgiving means to you Clare?" Bianca asks when she sees my painting.

"I just don't know what to put," I tell her.

"Just put whatever you feel like," Mrs. Dawes tells me. "It needs more color, how about some crimson like the color of your choker?" Mrs. Dawes suggests.

When she says this all I can think of is Glen telling me that he chose this color because it represents sex. Suddenly I feel ill and rush out of the classroom dropping my paintbrush on the floor.

"Clare!" Owen calls after me, he catches up to me quickly and gently grabs my arm. "Clare what's wrong?" He asks.

"Nothing I just have to use the washroom," I tell him.

"You ran out very abruptly for just having to go to the washroom," Owen argues.

"I feel sick, my lunch is coming back up and unless you want it to end up on your shoes let go of me," I insist.

Owen releases me and I run to the washroom, I don't actually vomit but stand over the sink coughing and feeling ill.

"Hey Owen said you were sick, are you okay?" Bianca asks coming into the washroom.

I rinse my mouth and lean on the sink nodding, _"Pull it together Clare, this is not normal, you're going to be in trouble already and if Glen finds out you're breaking down in school he'll likely lock you in a room, or punish Maya again." _After internally scolding myself I look at Bianca. "Yeah I'm okay I think the meat in my sandwich was bad," I tell her.

"You want to come back to class or see the nurse?" Bianca questions.

"I think I can go back to class," I reply.

She puts an arm around me and we walk back to class, I apologize for running out and Mrs. Dawes says it's fine. Owen is giving me a worried look but I'm too ashamed to look at him. When the bell rings I leave class as fast as I can and go straight to my Core French class that I have with Jenna. We don't sit together and we don't really speak because she stole K.C. in grade nine and I guess I've never forgiven her. Of course Glen started dating Mom around the same time and my life began to turn to tell hell piece by piece. Knowing that Maya has band practice after school I leave Core French as fast as I can and hurry to auto shop it's also Owen and Eli's last class.

"Hey Clare," Eli smiles when he comes out of the room.

"Hi I'm waiting for Jake," I tell him just as Owen walks out and I could swear that I see some disappointment on his face.

"See you tomorrow, I'm meeting Fiona and Imogen to work on the movie," Eli says giving me a smirk before walking off.

Jake walks out with Sean just behind, Jake gives me an evil grin; while Sean gives me a kind smile.

"Hey Clare," Sean says coming to give me a quick hug.

Jake doesn't like the hug, I can tell by the look on his face and I see Owen look back at us for some reason.

"We should get home," Jake says pulling me from the hug. "Where's Maya?" Jake asks when we're far enough away from Sean; Jake's also squeezing my arm hard enough that I'm sure it will leave a bruise I'll have to cover up.

"Maya has something to do, she'll get a ride home later," I tell him.

"Dad's not going to be happy," Jake comments.

"I know but he wants everything to appear normal doesn't he and that means sometimes we have things to do after school," I point out.

"You're telling him," Jake remarks as we get in his truck, "I bet he'll punish you and then punish Maya when she gets home."

I just nod; Jake drives us home without another word but a malicious grin on his face the whole way. It's Friday and Glen is usually home early on Friday so I go straight upstairs and change into my uniform. Jake takes my phone and puts on my ankle bracelet then I go about tidying up until Glen comes home.

"Where's Maya?" Glen asks as I take his stuff.

"She stayed after school," I inform him.

"What do you mean she stayed after school?" Glen growls twisting the choker around his fingers so that it tightens around my neck, not so tight that I have trouble breathing but tight enough that I'm scared.

"She joined a band, she's trying to keep up appearances that everything was normal and she was asked to try out weeks ago," I tell him hoping that this version of the truth is enough to placate him.

"A band will take up her time," he snarls.

"Yes I know bu…"

"If she is not here then you will be preforming both your duties and her duties until she returns and you will both be punished for this," Glen informs me, shoving me away.

"I want to punish her now," Jake says rubbing his hands together.

"And we shall, Jake start a fire in the fireplace," Glen instructs.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"You have not been spoken to, start making dinner," Glen orders.

He goes upstairs and I begin making dinner but I'm worried as to why they need a fire. A dozen thoughts race through my mind but nothing could prepare me for what does happen. Glen comes downstairs just as Jake has the fire going, he's holding our family photo album the one from before he and Jake came into our lives. Mom had kept it hidden but he must have found it.

"When you defy me Clare you will regret it. Your life before this was a dream Clare, this is your life now, you do not matter, you are nothing, you live to serve us and you have no rights," Glen says before tossing the photo album into the fire.

"NO WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I scream rushing for the photo album but glen grabs me holding me firmly with one arm across my chest.

"Jake take all the pictures of Helen and her family off the mantle and toss them into the fire," Glen instructs.

"NO!" I scream.

Jake only laughs maniacally and throws all the pictures in the fire, he has a pleased grin on his face and the more I cry the more Jake seems to be amused.

"Helen's music box now," Glen tells him.

"NO Glen please," I beg sobbing heavily.

"Next time one of you decides to do something that will take up your time discuss it with me first," Glen growls in my ear.

Jake takes the music box from the bookshelf, a music box my grandmother gave her, and he throws it in the fire! It breaks against the burning firewood, pictures and photo album, the house already filling with a foul odor from the burning pictures but all I can think is I'm watching my childhood burn away. Jake opens the doors and windows, turning on the fan to air out the house. Glen lets go of me and I sink to my knees on the floor, sobbing as I watch the fire devour my memories.

**(OWEN)**

It was Saturday afternoon and I was downtown, Thanksgiving was Monday and Mom had asked me to pick up some stuff for her from some shop down here. We had family coming in tomorrow and Mom was cooking dinner and wanted everything to be perfect. I was walking back to my car when I saw Sean and a very pretty woman with him walking toward me.

"Hey Sean," I grin.

"Hey Owen," Sean smiles, "Paige Owen is one of my best students. Owen this is my girlfriend Paige," Sean introduces us.

"It's nice to meet you Paige," I smile, "I'd shake your hand but they're a little full right now," I apologize.

"It's okay we were just going to grab some lunch would like to join us?" Paige offers.

"Uh sure great if you don't mind," I reply.

"Not at all," Sean says and I smile.

I follow them down the street to a diner and we get a table. Nothing I have is perishable it's all linens and decorations. Sean tells Paige how I'm good with cars and help him after class sometimes and she smiles.

"You know Sean and I met at DeGrassi," Paige tells me when our food comes.

"Really?"

"Yeah we both went there; I was a grade behind because I got into some trouble. We never dated or were even really friends in high school but we hung out with some of the same people at times. The girl I dated on and off through most of high school is now married to the guy Paige dated for most of high school," Sean tells me.

"No way, so do you know Clare then?" I ask Paige.

"Clare Edwards?" Paige asks.

"Yeah I just found out the other day that Sean knows Clare," I tell her.

"Yeah, I knew her older sister better but we hated each other," Paige admits. "I really only saw Clare a couple of times before Darcy left."

"So how do you know Clare so well?" I ask Sean.

"I wouldn't say I know her well, Darcy was raped on a DeGrassi ski trip, she was drugged and for a while thought she had sex with her boyfriend Peter," Sean is explaining.

"Peter, the guy that runs the Dot? Or did until about a year ago?" I question, now that I'm thinking about it I do remember him talking to Clare a lot.

"He still does but he went away to school last year," Paige informs me.

"Yeah Darcy was dating Peter but she started remembering the rape and she started breaking down. She became self-destructive and tried committing suicide a couple of times. With her erratic behavior and the fact that Maya was only nine I think she was sent to stay with her Grandparents. Clare was twelve and kept around but her parents were so busy with Darcy that Clare was often left on her own. Darcy's ex…" Sean is saying when Paige cuts him off.

"And mine," Paige speaks up.

"Yeah Spinner dated Paige for most of high school, anyway Spin and our friend Jay looked out for Clare, I was with them and helped out a few times too but I never met Maya and don't know Clare as well as they do," Sean explains.

I only just learned that Clare had an older sister a few days ago but now I learn that Darcy was raped! I suddenly feel a little more protective of both Clare and Maya, not wanting either of them to ever experience anything like that.

"So where is Darcy now? I know you said she left but why and where?" I inquire.

"She went to Africa, she started to heal from her rape and her parents convinced her to atone for her sins. So she went to Africa to do mission work," Paige explains.

We talk a little more and Sean pays for lunch saying he'll see me Monday. I wave to them and get in my car to drive home and realize for all the times Maya's been at the house and all the times I've gazed at Clare I really don't know either one. I drop the stuff at home and head to the Dot hoping that Clare or Maya will be there honestly but neither one is and I'm rather disappointed. Fitz is here of course as he's working, he grins at me when I come in and I go up to the counter.

"Hey when's your break?" I ask him.

"I can take one now," he tells me looking at the other guy behind the counter and he shrugs. Fitz grabs us a couple a couple of coffees and we sit at a table in the corner.

"Did you know Clare and Maya's sister was raped and went to Africa?" I ask him.

"I didn't even know they had a sister until you told me," Fitz replies.

"Yeah Sean, the auto shop teacher, and his girlfriend Paige told me. I don't want either of them to ever go through something like that," I tell him.

"Yeah, we'll watch them closely I don't want either of them to go through anything like that either," Fitz nods.

**Update next Sunday starting with Saturday morning for the girls and probably including Thanksgiving.**


	5. Ache to the Bone

**Clowen fans be sure and read chapter 3 of Christlove88's story "I Don't Understand It" and look forward to more great stories coming from her.**

**Ch. 5 Ache to the Bone**

**(CLARE)**

My alarm wakes me up at 6am Saturday Morning and I groan feeling the effects of not having gotten much sleep. When Maya returned from band practice she was made to change into her uniform and then watch as Glen burned more photos. Jake kept me in the garage, told me to stay quiet and wouldn't let me go to her, I couldn't prepare her and I couldn't hold her while she was crying and screaming as I had done. Jake kept me pinned to the washer, holding my wrists and using his body to keep me in place. Then we had to cook, clean up, eat a little and clean up the ashes and mess from the fire. We finally were able to go to bed a little after midnight and cried ourselves to sleep.

"Maya wake up we have to make breakfast," I tell my sister shaking her a little.

Maya groans but gets up, both of us changing into our uniforms and fixing our hair so we look presentable to Glen and Jake, as we have to do or be punished. We put our heels on last, our ankle bracelets are still on as they are not removed in the house, only when we go outside. We make eggs with bacon, sausage and sautéed potatoes, peppers and onions for breakfast. I put on the coffee, just like always Glen and Jake come downstairs when they smell breakfast, neither are dressed of course, both wearing simply boxers and pajama bottoms. They sit in their places and we serve them and then stand at their sides as we have to do. When they are done we clean up and then Maya and I eat the leftover potatoes and sausage.

"Upstairs both of you," Glen says when we've put our dishes in the dishwasher. We obey of course because we know what will happen if we don't. We follow Glen into his room and Jake follows us, Glen sits on his bed and holds up a large silver ring that's been bolted to the wall. "Do you know what this is?" Glen asks us, Maya shakes her head and so do I. "Come here Clare," Glen orders and I go stand before him, he takes my arm and pulls me to sit on the bed next to him, then he reaches under the bed and pulls out a chain, he hooks one end to the ring on the wall. Then grabs my choker and a terrified breath hitches in my throat, I seize up and wring my hands together as the soft velvet choker turns along my skin. Moving my hair out the way he attaches the metal ring at the back of my choker to the chain, and I bite hard on my lip to keep in the tears as I my stomach ties itself in terrified knots. "Jake has one above his bed as well; they will keep you girls in our beds at night."

"What?!" Maya breaths.

"You will be spending most of your nights in our beds from now on," Glen informs us.

"Are you insane?! You're our stepfather and stepbrother and you want us to sleep with you?!" I exclaim.

Glen yanks back on the chain violently which chokes me and forces me back onto the mattress!

"You are nothing Clare, you two will do anything we tell you to do, you are nothing more than servants in any capacity we deem fit. From now on your duties not only include cooking and cleaning but servicing us and our sexual needs. Jake take Maya into your room and show her the ring, chain her to it so that she gets a feel for it as she'll be spending most of her time in there," Glen orders.

"No leave her alone," I beg jumping up and trying to hold Maya but the chain stops and goes taught forcing me back into to the bed again. Jake grabs Maya's arm and takes her into his room, I can hear sniffling the whole way. Glen grabs me by the chain and pulls me back on the bed.

"You still need to learn that you are nothing and you have no rights, you are worthless Clare and you don't do or say anything unless we say so." Glen growls in my ear but does so while stroking my arm and I shiver in revulsion. "JAKE BRING HER BACK!" Glen hollers making me jump and a minute later Jake comes back in with Maya pulling her by the choker. "You two need to shower," Glen says taking the chain off my choker and I jump up going to my sister and putting an arm around her. "Jake take Maya into your shower and shower with her," Glen says.

"No run Maya," I instruct taking her by the hand and we run down the stairs, I throw open the front door and we make it just over the threshold of the interior door when suddenly a painful jolt shoots through our bodies!

"AAGGHHHH!" We scream together.

Both of us fall to the floor pulling back behind the threshold and shaking slightly as Glen and Jake walk slowly down the stairs.

"As you've just discovered," Glen comments in a slithering malicious voice as Maya and I huddle together and cry, "your ankle bracelets will shock you if you try to run. Go past the interior door or the backyard and you'll be shocked. We have installed an invisible electric fence around the house and I have it on the medium setting, try and run again and I will turn it up to high. Now both of you up, Maya you will shower with Jake, do as he says but be gentle with her son, she's young if you go to hard or fast she will break and then she'll be useless," Glen tells him, Jake comes over and rips Maya from my arms.

"NO leave her alone, let her be she's just a kid, I'll shower with both of you but leave her a…Agh!"

I leap up and try to save my sister but Glen grabs me and yanks me back to him by my hair.

"Get her upstairs and into your washroom," Glen orders and Jake pulls Maya upstairs roughly. "You need to be taught a lesson, learn what happens when you decide to open your mouth," Glen growls in my ear. He pulls me upstairs by my hair and throws me on the bed. "You have to learn Clare that I am master in this house, you and Maya are nothing, you only live to make us happy. I am king, Jake is prince and you are less than dirt, you will do whatever I please or you will be punished. He grabs a belt from his drawer and holds it taught, then he holds it up and whips me across the belly. I want to scream out but I bite my lip and hold in the whimper. He does one more across my breasts and then pulls me up by my arm pulling me into the washroom. "Undress," he commands although both his washroom door and bedroom door are still open.

Too afraid to not obey I start to take off my uniform, pulling off my top as tears start crawling down my cheeks. I pull my skirt down slowly, and it drops to the floor, closing my eyes as I take off my bra, I feel horribly ashamed as I reveal my body to my stepfather. I'm sure Maya feels the same in the other washroom and I can only pray that Jake is being somewhat kind to her. Glen pulls down my panties, the feel of his hands on my skin is disgusting, I shiver with revulsion and bite my lip hard. My panties fall to my ankles, Glen removes my ankle bracelet and then stands up ordering me to take off my shoes and I do. I step out of my shoes and my panties, still unable to look at him but I can feel him watching me.

"Delicious, you have a much nicer body than your mother, so young, supple and smooth," Glen says and I can hear the grossly carnal smile on his lips. His hands begin to rove over my body; I flinch away a little but stop myself from doing so completely as I know I'll be punished again. "Now undress me," Glen orders when he's done feeling my body. I pull down his pajama bottoms and boxers together and he steps out of them telling me to turn on the water.

I turn and start the water, adjusting it to a comfortable temperature and Glen gets in and motions for me to follow. I get under the water and Glen begins feeling me again, his hands feel so incredibly rough compared to the water. My eyes close tight, so that I can't see him but I can still feel him and I feel like throwing up. Then both his hands go to my breasts and he squeezes hard, very hard, I can feel the flesh being crushed and I scream out, my knees buckling under the pain.

"Wash up," Glen says when he finally releases my breasts.

I turn around sniffling in my tears of shame and pain as I grab the body wash, it's scented like roses and is what Mom used to use. I take down the pouf and begin washing my body, Glen is feeling every part of my backside now and what's worse I can feel that he's hard. His erection is beginning to poke at me and I have to swallow the bile that rises in my throat. He smacks my ass but it's not exactly hard, he seems to laugh with pleasure at the sound it makes when his hand hits my wet bare ass. I do my best to ignore what he's doing as I wash up. He starts breathing funny and stops feeling me, just holds my waist and I realize he's masturbating. His other hand starts moving, squeezing my ass, slapping it occasionally and then he bends me forward and I brace against the shower wall, his fingers roughly feeling over my vaginal lips and violently poking in. He doesn't go that far but it still hurts. It seems like it takes forever but he finally cums, grunting like an uncouth caveman and his sperm exploding onto my backside which he then slaps again.

"Wash that up and then go sit on my bed, dry yourself off but do not dress again and do not come into my room with a towel. I'm going to check on Jake and your nothing of a sister," Glen informs me.

He gets out of the shower and begins to dry off, I hear him close his bedroom door and I assume he's getting dressed. I just stay exactly how I am and let the water run over me. When I finally hear him leave his room I sink to my knees and vomit into the drain. My body begins shaking and I cry a little harder, I stay that way for several more minutes when I hear Glen come back into his room however I force myself to stand up and wash his repugnant sperm off me. It's not very easy to get off and I have to scrub at it. Turning off the water I get out of the shower and dry off with a towel before I go out to his room. Glen isn't in the room, he's in the hall, I hear him talking to Jake but can't make out what they are saying. Maya is naked as well and sitting on Glen's bed, her legs closed tightly together and her arms crossed over the rest of her as she leans forward. I sit on the bed, crossing my legs and crossing my arms over my breasts.

"What did Jake do to you?" I ask her in nearly a whisper.

"He just touched me a lot, his hands went everywhere but he liked keeping his hands on my but while I was washing up. He made me wash him too, it was gross," Maya tells me.

She opens her mouth but closes it again when Glen and Jake enter the room, each of them holding a bag.

"You're uniforms are changing," Glen informs us. "You will no longer where bras in the house unless we say so. Maya stand up," Glen orders and she does. "Clare if you move or say anything I will chain you to the wall again and leave you there for the day," he tells me and I only nod.

"This is yours Maya," Jake says pulling out a black low cut tank top with an even shorter skirt and G-string. "Put it on now," Jake demands and Maya begins to dress.

"Wonderful, Jake go and retrieve her ankle bracelet and shoes as those will remain part of your uniform," Glen says and Jake leaves the room. "Clare stand and dress in your uniform," Glen orders handing me the bag.

My uniform is nearly identical to Maya's only it's crimson instead of black. The tank top has a deep V-neck and the sleeves are only slightly thicker. Jake returns forcing Maya to put on the shoes and then Jake puts on her ankle bracelet. Glen gets my heels and ankle bracelet and does the same with me, and then they look us over and smile with erotic pleasure.

"Good you both look very pleasing, now continue on with chores. Clare you and Jake will have to go to the store later to get things for Thanksgiving," Glen comments.

"I can't go to the store like this," I point out.

"Of course not you stupid girl. I'm not an idiot I will have you dress properly," Glen replies.

Maya and I start downstairs and my breasts are throbbing, I know they are bruised and I try to hide the pain as Maya and I begin on our chores.

**(DREW)**

It was late Saturday afternoon and I was spending it at the grocery store, Thanksgiving was Monday and Mom had sent me to pick some stuff up. At least my beautiful girlfriend was with me, she'd even be joining us for Thanksgiving, my grandma would be there too and meeting Adam as Adam, which should be interesting.

"We still need potatoes, green beans and cranberries from produce, I'll go get those you get brown sugar and cinnamon from the baking aisle," Bianca says to me after looking at the list.

"Kay, meet you at the checkout in a few minutes," I grin and walk off to the baking aisle, just as I turn the corner I run into someone, a girl who makes a very sharp and painful yelp. I grab her by the arms and see that it's Clare. "Sorry Clare didn't see you there, did I hurt you?"

"No it was my fault Drew and I'm okay," she says but in a shaky voice and I can see tears in her eyes which are pinched tightly together as if she's still in pain. "Excuse me I have to go and find Jake," she tells me and then quickly rushes away before I can stop her.

That was odd but I don't know Clare as well as my brother does, I watch her for a minute, she returns to Jake and the cart then they walk off toward produce. I turn and grab what I need from the shelves; I look at the checkout lines and get in the shortest one. Bianca finds me a couple minutes later.

"I saw Clare with Jake," Bianca tells me as she joins me with the cart.

"Yeah I saw her too, well bumped into her actually and I think I hurt her, stepped on her foot or something. She seemed…sad or skittish or something," I tell Bianca.

"She probably just wanted to get away from you, you do have a tendency to scare away girls," Bianca teases and I twist my mouth at her. "But I know what you mean, I saw her with Jake, something's weird about their relationship," Bianca comments as we move up in line.

"Something's weird about him," I remark as we start to put the groceries on the conveyer belt.

We pay for the groceries, load them into my car and I drive us home again. Mom is in the kitchen making cranberry sauce; she'll be cooking most of the day tomorrow too and of course Monday. We unload the groceries and then go downstairs where my brother is playing video games with Eli.

"Hey how well do you guys know Jake?" Bianca asks them.

"Not at all," Adam replies.

"I have auto shop with him but I don't know him at all and Clare never talks about him," Eli tells us.

"Why?" Adam questions.

"We don't like the guy," I respond.

"Neither does Clare, at least she always seems to avoid him and hates talking to him," Adam says.

We go silent and start playing video games with them, after lunch we decide to go out tonight and hang out at Above the Dot, the four of us. Then Bianca calls Owen to invite him and Fitz out with us.

**(OWEN)**

"Yeah, we'll watch them closely I don't want either of them to go through anything like that either," Fitz nods and then my cell rings, the display shows me Bianca's picture so I answer.

"Hey B what's up," I say into the phone and Fitz smiles when he hears Bianca's nickname.

"The four of us are going to Above the Dot later you want to meet us?" Bianca asks.

"Sure when's later?" I question.

"I don't know but they don't even open until eight so let's just meet there when it opens. I'll call Fitz and invite him too," Bianca says.

"No need I got him right here," I tell her and move the phone away from my face. "The gangs going to Above the Dot when it opens you want to go?"

"Sure, I get off at eight so I'll meet you guys up there," Fitz replies.

"He's off at eight, he'll meet us up there," I tell her.

"I heard him, cool see you guys later," B says and hangs up.

"I better get back to work, see you guys in a few hours," Fitz says getting up and going back behind the counter.

I wave to Fitz and leave the café for my car again. When I get home Mom puts me to work cleaning, after dinner I shower and put on fresh clothes and hang out in my room for a bit. Just before eight I drive back to the Dot, Bianca, Drew, Adam and Eli are already there. Didn't actually know Adam and Eli were coming but I probably should have guessed.

"Hey guys," I wave to them as I join them on the steps.

"We're just waiting on Fitz now but he doesn't get off for a few more minutes," Bianca says as we go into the club.

We all get drinks from the bar, non-alcoholic of course because it's an underage club and doesn't serve alcohol. When we have our drinks we walk to the back and sit on the sofa and arm chairs, it's the best place and we got it since we got here so early.

"Hey guys," Fitz greets sitting down with us, a soda in his hand.

"Hi Fitz how was work?" Bianca asks.

"Busy, like it always is on Saturday," Fitz replies.

"Hey you two are like Clare's best friends right?" I ask Adam and Eli.

"Uh yeah, why?" Adam questions.

"Did you know she has an older sister?" I query.

"Yeah umm Darcy, she's got long red hair and doesn't look a thing like Clare. She went to Africa," Adam says.

"How do you know what she looks like?" I inquire.

"I've seen pictures in Clare's room, although I haven't been to her house in a while," Adam remarks.

"Yeah me either," Eli comments.

"So neither of you have been to Clare's house in how long?" Bianca asks.

"Over a year, we actually haven't been there since Helen married Glen," Adam tells us.

"Yeah and they got married pretty fast, about three months after they started dating," Eli says.

"That's a little suspicious, that no one has been to the house since Helen and Glen got married," Bianca remarks twisting her face at some unpleasant thought in her head.

"Maya's been to our house a lot but come to think about it Tris has never been to their house. I've dropped her off but she never wants me to come in, she always just runs in," I tell them.

"Jake can be weird but I've met Glen and he was nice are we really suggesting that there's some kind of abuse going on?" Eli asks.

"I'm not really sure what's going on but we should try to talk to Clare and Maya too," Bianca speaks up.

"Yeah and keep an eye on both of them too, especially around Jake," I remark.

We all go silent for a few minutes and then Bianca decides the conversation has gotten too depressing.

"Dance with me," she says to her boyfriend.

"Of course beautiful," Drew grins and gets up following Bianca to the dance floor.

"You two want to play pool?" I ask Adam and Eli.

"Sure," they say together.

The four of us play pool for a couple of hours, trading off with Drew and Bianca. We get dessert, hang out and dance until about midnight.

"You want to stay over?" I ask Fitz as we're leaving the club.

"Yeah sure thanks," Fitz grins.

We get in our cars and Fitz follows me home, Mom and Dad are in bed but Tris is still up watching a movie when we get in. He waves to us but doesn't say anything and we go back to my room. I get the air mattress out of the closet; Fitz always sleeps on it when he's over, which is a lot because his stepbrother sucks and gets high then beats on Fitz. His stepdad always takes his son's side and his mom is nice but she just pretends like nothing is going on. We get ready for bed and I put on the TV, flipping through until I find something to watch.

"Is your mom cooking on Monday?" I ask Fitz after a few minutes.

"Nah the three of them are going to Ed's parent's house, I'm not invited because Steve and I don't get along," Fitz tells me.

"So what are you doing then?" I question.

"Staying home," he shrugs.

"Dude," I reply throwing a pillow at him, "why didn't you tell me you were going to be alone for Thanksgiving! You'll eat here, my parents will insist on it," I tell him.

"Thanks," he says.

"You're practically part of the family, you should have told me you were going to be alone for Thanksgiving," I scold him.

"Maya's friends with your brother isn't she?" Fitz asks after a few minutes.

"Yeah, best friends with him and Zig," I reply, "why?"

"Is she over a lot?" He questions.

"She used to be over a lot more, she hasn't been over in a while. Boy you really have it bad don't you," I tease him.

"I know but I can't help it, she's just…" he pauses as he searches for the right word, "cute, I love her blonde hair and her smile, her laugh."

"Yep you have a terminal case of the crush," I chide.

"Yeah I know I do but I don't think I'm the only one, I've seen the way you look at Clare," Fitz says.

"Yeah I know I got it bad too, I can't help it either, she's got those amazing blue eyes, that smile that lights up her beautiful face. She's so sweet and smart," I respond with a dreamy smile on my face as I think about Clare.

"Yeah we're hopeless," Fitz laughs.

"Yeah more than hopeless, neither of them hardly knows we're alive," I comment.

"That's not true; it's just that the wrong girl knows we're alive. You know Maya and she knows you because she's friends with your brother. I spend lots of time with Clare because she tutors me and we're becoming friends. Problem is I've got a crush on Maya and you've got a crush on Clare," Fitz remarks.

"We'll just have to do something about it, you spend more time with Maya and I'll spend more time with Clare," I reply.

"Sounds great, so how do we do that?" Fitz questions.

"I have no idea," I respond.

Fitz laughs and throws the pillow back at me.

**Update next Sunday starting with the next day and possibly getting to Thanksgiving. **


	6. Can't Break Away from These Chains

**Guest reviewers check my profile page I caught up with reviews Clara you have at least 3 replies.**

**Clowen fans check out the last chapter of "I Don't Understand It" written by Christlove88.**

**This chapter has only a little fluff sorry, it gets fairly intense and there are trigger warnings.**

**Ch. 6 Can't Break Away from These Chains**

**(MAYA)**

"Dinner is ready," I tell Glen and Jake as we set dinner on the table Sunday night.

Clare and I get a beer for Glen and a soda for Jake, they sit down and we take our places at their sides.

"You'll need to be up extra early tomorrow to start Thanksgiving dinner and make our breakfast," Glen tells us as they begin eating. "Dinner tomorrow night must be perfect, if anything is not cooked right you will have to start over and you will be punished."

We nod but don't say anything as we know better than to talk back or anything at this point. Jake purposely eats sloppy so that I have to wipe his mouth a lot. Glen doesn't but he forces Clare to sit on his lap for a short time and the way his hand moves I can tell he's caressing her leg under the table.

"If they mess up dinner tomorrow night can I punish them?" Jake asks hopefully and Glen pulls Clare off his lap.

"We'll see son," Glen replies taking a bite and then looks directly at me. "Maya get over here," he commands and I walk over fearing what's coming next. "Kneel down and get under the table, I want a blow job during dinner," Glen says and I freeze up.

"No you can't make her, she's just a kid, she's barely even heard of a blow job, she's never even kissed anyone," my sister pleads for me as fear has left me without the ability to talk. "I'll do it, I'll give you a…" Clare chokes on the words blow job, "perform fellatio."

That's my sister, using a big fancy word to make it sound better, but she still looks sick for a second. Glen strokes his chin as he considers this, looking between me and my sister with lechery in his eyes.

"Very well, Maya you will perform both yours and Clare's duties until she is done. Clare get under the table," Glen orders.

I look at my sister with gratitude but also extreme regret that she's suffering something on my behalf. She gives me a tiny smile to let me know it's okay and she wants to do it to keep me from suffering through it. She goes under the table and I stay where I am, Glen and Jake continue eating, I hear a zipper being pulled down slowly. There's some other quiet noises, Jake calls me over to wipe his mouth again and then I hear Glen make a moan. His eyes sort of close and I know Clare must have started; it's rather disgusting to hear sounds of pleasure coming from your stepfather's mouth and know that your sister is being forced to do it. I know when Glen finishes because he makes this odd grunt and his body lurches a little. He stays still for a minute then begins eating again; Clare stays under the table a minute before emerging and standing at her position again. She looks ill, shivering slightly and her eyes cringing with disgust but she doesn't let Glen see.

"Very good Clare, not bad for your first blow job, rinse your mouth and get under the table again Jake needs one too," Glen commands.

Jake gets excited, smiling with perverse wickedness and his eyes lit with carnal lechery. Clare goes pale and then sort of green but Glen looks at her expectantly. Clare turns quickly and walks to the kitchen sink, for a moment I think she might throw up but she doesn't. She rinses her mouth and gets back under the table. Another zipper goes down and Jake makes a pleasured moan this time. He moves more than his father did but I don't think Jake's had many blow jobs. While Jake is busy being "taken care of" by my sister Glen has me stand next to him as Jake has stopped eating and doesn't need me. She finishes much faster than she did with Glen and runs to the washroom. Glen is done eating and leaves the table following Clare to the washroom; he goes in and closes the door. I hear them talking but can't make out the words, and then I hear my sister cry out in pain just as Glen's voice gets a little angrier. Then Glen leaves the washroom going upstairs, I go stand at Jake's side again as he resumes eating. Clare comes out of the washroom and begins clearing Glen's plates and the rest of the table except for Jake's dishes. When Jake's finally done he stands and slaps my butt before sitting on the sofa to watch TV.

"What did Glen do to you in the washroom?" I ask Clare in a whisper as we clean up.

"He was angry that I ran off to the washroom," is her only reply.

Jake watches us from the corner of his eye while watching TV. When we're done cleaning up we both eat a little but neither of us is very hungry and I think Clare eats mostly to get the taste of Glen and Jake's sperm from her mouth. With the kitchen clean our chores for the night are actually done and we go up to our room. Glen and Jake have not yet forced us to sleep in their beds but we know it's coming. We have to leave these horrid "uniforms" on until after Glen says it's time for bed, so we sit on our beds and wait for permission to go to bed. Two weeks ago my life was bad, we lived in fear, we were watching our mother die and wither away before our eyes. We weren't happy but at least it was within the realm of normal. Now I didn't even remember what normal was like, instead of fear we lived in terror and everyday seemed to bring a new horror, new torture and I wondered how long we could live this way.

"Tomorrow is going to be bad isn't it?" I ask Clare as my stomach churns at the mere thought of what we might be facing tomorrow.

"Yeah," Clare nods pulling her knees to her chest, "really bad I think but we'll get through it together and I'll do everything I can to keep them from hurting you."

"I know," I nod.

**(OWEN)**

"Boys please put the leaves in the table and set it, the family will be here soon," Mom requests.

"Help me with the leaves Fitz I don't think Tris can lift one," I comment hitting Fitz on the arm lightly.

"Shut up," Tris snaps back.

"C'mon they're in the garage," I tell Fitz.

We go out to the garage and after moving a few boxes I find the leaves that extend the dining room table. I grab two, Fitz gets the last one and we go back in the house; Fitz helps me pull the table open so we can get the leaves in.

"So how many people are coming tonight?" Fitz asks me.

"From my mom's side my grandparents, Uncle Bill, Aunt Carrie and my cousin Samantha who's 15 and super annoying. From my dad's side his brother and his family; they would be Uncle Jerry, Aunt Ann and my cousins Ben and Will who are eight and eleven."

When we have the leaves in Tris helps us set the table, it'll be a tight fit but that's fine, that's what the holidays are all about. After setting the table Mom makes us change into nicer clothes and Fitz has to borrow some from me. My family arrives just after that and we introduce them to Fitz, we talk a little, Grandma helps Mom in the kitchen and then we all sit down to eat. Ben and Will are talking about some cartoon show or something, Samantha starts talking to Tris about music, the adults are talking about their jobs so Fitz and I start talking amongst ourselves.

"So how do we make sure that we spend more time with the girls? Or rather that you spend more time with Maya and I with Clare," I comment in a low voice.

"Well next time Maya's going to come over to hang out with Tris you invite me over. When Clare tutors me tomorrow…no that won't work," Fitz shakes his head. "Well Adam's her best friend and Drew's his brother so next time Adam has Clare over you get yourself invited over by Drew," Fitz suggests.

"Okay but there's gotta be a better way than that I mean Maya hasn't been over too much and I don't think Clare's been over to Adam's recently," I point out.

"Maya did join that band with Adam but it's closed rehearsals and I think Clare just goes straight home now. But Tris is your brother and Maya his best friend, Clare is Adam's best friend and his brother is dating Bianca so we all kind of hang out in the same circles maybe we can all have lunch or something," Fitz suggests.

"Yeah cause I casually ask my brother to lunch all the time," I comment.

"Just wait until Tris or Maya says they're eating at the Dot, then we go and invite Clare since her sister will be there," Fitz replies.

"Yeah okay I guess that would work," I nod.

My family seems to notice all the kids are talking amongst themselves because they take an interest in us. They ask us about school, ask me about football, ask Fitz what he does besides school but they have enough sense not to ask about his family. After dinner Dad, Grandpa, my uncles, me and Fitz sit on the sofa to watch sports while the kids go play, all except Samantha who calls her boyfriend and goes down the hall to talk. Mom, Grandma and my aunts go in and clean the kitchen. We wait a couple of hours before eating dessert since we're all stuffed. Fitz is staying the night again but I take him home once my family is gone so he can get his backpack and a change of clothes. He hesitates before going into his house, I follow him in, mostly because I know his family sucks and his stepdad or stepbrother might try and start a fight.

"Where the hell have you been?" Fitz's stepdad growls when we come through the door.

"I had dinner at Owen's, I told you I was eating at Owen's and I'm sleeping at his place again, I'm just here for clothes," Fitz tells him.

"Hi Honey how was dinner? Hi Owen," Fitz's mom says coming out of the kitchen.

"Hi Mrs. Jacobs," I nod.

"Dinner was good Ma, I just stopped by to get clothes and my backpack, I'm going to sleep at Owen's again," Fitz tells her.

He kisses her cheek and we go up to the room he shares with stepbrother, thankfully his stepbrother is gone. Fitz grabs his backpack and stuffs a change of clothes into it, after making sure he has all his books for school we say goodbye to his mom and go back to my car.

"I don't get how a nice woman like your mom fell for a prick like your stepdad or why she doesn't just leave him," I comment as we start driving back to my house.

"I don't know why she fell for him but I think she stays out of fear now. Fear of him; fear that she'll never find anyone else, that she can't make it on her own. I've tried telling her she doesn't need him and that I'll always be there for her but she doesn't listen. He's got her mind so warped that she won't believe anyone but him anymore," Fitz says and I can hear the anger and remorse in his voice.

I don't know what to say, I'm not sure there is anything to say, nothing will change it, make it better. All Fitz can do is be there for his mom now and all I can do is be there for my buddy.

**(CLARE)**

"Smells good," Jake comments coming into the kitchen while I stir the cranberry sauce, he pushes his body against mine reaching around to squeeze my breast.

I whimper because my breasts are still very bruised from showering with Glen Saturday morning. Glen looks over and I bite my lip holding in the rest of the whimper. Jake doesn't mind at all, simply lifts my skirt and forces a finger into me, I don't move; don't react because I know not to. It will just lead to something worse or a punishment and their punishments are always cruel. When Jake is done with me he slaps Maya's butt before he goes to sit on the sofa again.

"Maya bring me a beer," Glen orders from the sofa a few minutes later.

Maya grabs a beer from the fridge, opens it with the bottle opener and walks to the sofa handing it to Glen. He runs his hand up her leg as she hands it to him and she quickly walks back to the kitchen.

"The cranberry sauce is almost done," I tell her taking it off the heat. "I need to check the turkey can you start on the potatoes?"

Maya nods and begins cutting, "We're getting groped almost as much as we're cooking."

"I know," I nod, "just hope that after dinner they're too full to do anything."

It's a little after two in the afternoon and the two of us have been up since five prepping, cooking and making breakfast for Glen and Jake. Maya and I ate fruit and cereal when they were done and between cooking and prepping for tonight's Thanksgiving dinner. Glen wanted Thanksgiving dinner to be served promptly at four so we were rushing to get everything done and perfect or be forced to do the whole dinner over and I was certain more punishments would follow. Every so often Glen or Jake would get up from the sofa and come into the kitchen, not to help, or to eat or check on us but simply to grope or fondle Maya and I in some way. I took as much of it as I could, tried to shield Maya as much as I was able but of course I couldn't keep her from all of it. We did manage to finish dinner just before four; Maya set the table while I finished in the kitchen and got everything onto serving dishes. We tell them that dinner is ready, they sit in their seats and we stand in our positions at their sides.

"Excellent girls everything is very good," Glen smiles after taking a few bites.

"Thank you," I say meekly.

Glen goes back to eating; at least he does it civilized whereas Jake just shovels it all in his mouth. Glen reaches out grabbing the back of my skirt and pulling me to him by a couple of steps so that I am right next to him. His hand drifts down the back of my skirt to my thigh and then goes up under my skirt. Thankfully Jake is too busy shoveling the food into his mouth to see what his father is doing to me and do the same to Maya. Glen wedges his hand between my legs and uses two fingers to stroke at my vaginal lips. I bite my lip and stand as still as I can trying desperately to think of anything else, it becomes harder when he violently shoves a finger to me. At least he withdraws it after a minute but of course the horrors of the night are far from over.

"Maya you'll have to do both duties again, Clare get under the table and give me another blow job. Then you two will switch, Clare will perform both duties and Maya will give Jake a blow job. This will now be a nightly routine at dinner," Glen informs us.

"What?" I question but I know I didn't mishear him and he's not joking.

"No one was speaking to you Clare, now get under the table," he growls.

"I'll give you both a blow job, Maya can do our table duties," I plead with Glen and he moves his chair back a little. "she's thirteen, she's never kissed a boy you can't make her give Jake a blow…"

I cut off my own sentence with a gasp as I'm pulled over Glen's lap, he lays me across his knees holding his arm over my upper back, lifting my skirt and pulling down my G-string. I bite back a scream as his hand hits my ass cheek in a hard spanking!

"She has to learn sometime and you have to learn not to talk back," Glen snarls spanking me again. The worst part is it's turning him on, he stops spanking me and forces my legs apart enough that he can get a finger in. Shoving it in and out a few times and then taking it out to spank me again before he pulls me off his lap. "Now get under the table and blow me after you're done you can give your sister a lesson," Glen orders in a harsh voice.

Tears of pain anguish and fear slither down my cheeks but I fix my panties and get under the table. Unzipping his trousers and reaching into the opening in his boxers to pull out his dick. It's partially hard, partially flaccid and entirely disgusting. I stroke him; rubbing my hand over him until he's more erect, then I close my eyes and put my mouth on him. I can hear Glen telling Maya to look under the table so that she knows what to do when it's her turn. I keep my eyes closed and picture all manner of horrible things happening to Glen because it's the only way I can get through it. He finishes with a grunt and his salty sour sperm fills my mouth, I force it down, I have to, when I spit out Jake's sperm last night Glen told me I could never do that again and if I did I'd spend a week chained naked to his bed. I stand and look at my sister; she's scared and looks ill already.

"Get under the table with her and give her instruction on what to do until she can do it on her own. If she spits any of it out, you'll pay for it later, you're the teacher if she messes up you pay for it," Glen informs me.

We both kneel under the table going over to Jake. He's already hard, his jeans bulging out makes that obvious. We pull his zipper down and open the button on his fly, pulling the waistband of his boxers down a little to get his dick out.

"Rub until he's completely hard and then put your mouth on it. It won't taste good but just close your eyes," I tell her and then whisper the next part in her ear, "and think about him getting hurt, it will help. Just move your mouth up and down until he cums and then you have to swallow it. The taste is vile, salty and sour but force it down if you can."

"I will, I don't want you to be punished for my mistake," Maya tells me.

I give her a remorseful smile, she shouldn't have to be going through this, we shouldn't have to do this. I hug her and get out from under the table to resume our duties while she gets Jake off. Maya finishes and I hear her gag but she does swallow it all and stands back at her position. After they finish dinner they sit on the sofa watching sports again and we clear the table, sneaking bits of food here and there as we clean since we haven't eaten since breakfast. And both of us need to erase the current taste we have in our mouths. When the table is clean and everything put away we serve dessert and coffee to them, standing by their sides like we're made to. We don't have to give another blow job and other than wiping their mouths we don't have to do much while they eat dessert.

"Clean up and both of you eat, you'll need your strength," Glen tells us when he's done with dessert.

I cringe at the thought of what he means by we'll need our strength. Maya and I clean up quickly and then sit at the table, eating as much as we can. Then we eat some dessert and clean up from our meal but we clean slowly, both of us afraid of whatever's coming. As slow as we clean we can't avoid tonight's fate forever and soon we're done with the kitchen. Glen orders us both upstairs and we go with Jake and Glen following. Then Glen grabs my arm and pulls me into his room, closing the door, I hear Jake's door close and know he took Maya in with him.

"Undress," Glen instructs when we're in his room.

I bite my lip but if I don't undress he'll do it for me, he won't be gentle either he might just cut my uniform off and then he'll get me another one, something worse I'm sure. Choking back some tears so I won't be punished again I start to remove my uniform. Glen walks over and goes behind me, I hear the chains coming out and I close my eyes, afraid of what's coming next. Glen hooks the chain to my choker and then takes off my ankle bracelet while I'm still undressing. When I'm undressed he tells me to get on the bed, I lie down and hear him undressing then feel him getting on the bed. His weight makes the mattress sink down and the closer to me he gets the more my stomach churns. When his hand touches my skin I cringe but keep myself from flinching away. He lets his hands go over my body, feeling each curve, every inch of flesh and I bite my lip a little harder. His hands press down on my shoulders forcing me to my back, he keeps one hand on my shoulder, the other wraps around my thigh yanking my legs apart forcefully.

"Tonight you become a woman Clare," he tells me and then he shoves his dick all the way into me!

"AGH!" I scream out as an intense burning pain shoots from between my legs through my whole body.

Closing my eyes tightly as the tears pour out, my hands grip the bed spread, fisting at it and tearing at it as my pain only gets worse. Glen is grunting and breathing hard, it's all I can do from screaming again. All I feel is pain, horrible searing pain; he's rough, shoving himself deep into me with every thrust. I want to think of anything else but the pain is so terrible it's hard not to be in the moment. Finally though I sort of float out of my body, a coping mechanism I'm sure or I'll end up choking on the bile that continually rises in my throat. It feels like he rapes me for an eternity, I'm sure Jake is doing the same thing to my sister and my only hope is that he's being gentler than Glen. Finally he finishes, his sperm going into me and I find it only a tiny solace that neither me nor Maya will get pregnant.

After Darcy's rape Spinner made sure I was on birth control in case I ever got raped. The very day Maya got her period I went to a second clinic and got a second order of birth control under my name. She wasn't old enough to get it without parental permission and our parents never would have given it. So now I go to two clinics each month, getting two things of birth control in my name and giving one to my sister. Of course when Spinner put me on birth control I'm sure he never imagined that it would be my stepdad raping me. Just as when I did it for Maya I never imagined it would be our stepbrother raping her.

Glen finishes his assault with a couple more deep thrusts and then slaps his hand across my breasts like some perverse high five. My already bruised breasts ache and throb, I wonder if they will ever heal, doesn't seem likely the way he and Jake abuse us. Glen finally pulls out of me and gets away from my body, everything burns, aches and my whole body screams in pain but I remain silent. I curl up, crying onto the mattress as I can no longer hold the tears in. I hear Glen getting dressed again and then he leaves the room, he knocks on Jake's door and I hear him telling Jake to finish up and then Maya should clean up.

"Go clean yourself up in the shower and return to the bed," Glen orders unhooking my chain.

I hurt so much I can barely move, stumbling to the washroom and turning on the shower. I sit on the shower floor and cry as the water goes over me. After a while Glen comes in and turns the water off for me, pulling me up. He doesn't give me a towel simply takes me back to his bed wet and naked. Maya is on his bed, her hair wet the rest of her dry and she's also naked, Jake of course is dressed.

"In addition to your uniforms when you are home during the day you will now also have uniforms at night," Glen educates us pulling two see through lace teddies with matching G-strings from a bag. "Put them on now," Glen orders handing of course the black one to Maya and the crimson one to me. We stand and do as we're told, putting on the incredibly humiliating sleepwear. "You both look…enticing," Glen compliments and we both shiver. "Now my sheets and Jake's are soaked by blood, guess you were both virgins. Change our sheets, make our beds, start the laundry and then you may sleep in your own beds tonight."

Maya and I nod, both of us fighting back the tears, I watch Jake take her back to his room and see how she moves slow and awkward. Everything hurts and it takes quite a while for me to get the soiled sheets off and replaces with fresh ones and then make Glen's bed. I gather the soiled sheets; slowly making my way downstairs, every movement hurts and stings I suck in a painful breath with each step. When I get down to the washing machine Maya is already there putting in Jake's sheets.

"Clare you can barely move how will you make it at school tomorrow?" Maya questions.

"I'll manage and you aren't moving much better than I am. Was Jake violent? How badly did he…" I pause unable to say it aloud.

"It hurt but I don't think he was as violent as Glen, he didn't go all the way in, he mostly just liked pulling at the chain and pinching my nipples. I think his dad warned him again, to be gentler with me that is. I'm sorry Glen wasn't with you," Maya says adding Glen's sheets to Jake's in the wash.

"I don't think Glen wants to be gentle, I think that's why he takes me most of the time. It's okay I can take it and I'd keep you from going through any of this if I could," I tell her.

"I know, c'mon we better try and get some sleep. Hopefully by morning we won't be moving so awkward," Maya remarks.

"We'll have to make excuses if we are, Glen is getting worse and I'm sure it won't be long before Jake does too. If Glen even thinks we told someone we might never be let off those chains again."

**Update next Sunday starting with the next morning at school and probably in Fitz's pov.**


	7. No More Whispering Anymore

**It's not so intense this chapter until the very end.**

**Ch. 7 No More Whispering Anymore**

**(BIANCA)**

"I still can't believe your mom let me sleep over last night," I remark to Drew as I drive him, me and Adam to school Tuesday morning. Yesterday was Thanksgiving and I had spent the day with Drew and his family, including his grandma who met Adam as Adam for the first time. She took it pretty well actually and Adam was very relieved.

"Yeah but Grandma spent the night too and you had to sleep in the basement," Drew reminds me.

I park at school; we gather our backpacks and get out walking to the school steps. Eli is on a picnic table and Adam goes to sit with him. Drew and I stop on the steps, leaning on the banister.

"What should we be for Halloween?" I ask Drew.

"Teenagers with something better to do," he shoots back.

"Come on Will's having a big Halloween party and we have to go in costume," I tell him.

Drew just shrugs, I'm about to scold him and start suggesting costumes but he's saved by Owen walking up. They begin talking football and their game against Bardell on Friday. I'm sort of paying attention but don't have much interest, really I'm watching other students drive in and that's when I see Jake drive in with Clare & Maya. Jake is smiling but both Clare and Maya look sad…or frightened maybe. I couldn't see them very well from this distance but they didn't look happy. I watch as Jake parks the truck; he comes strolling up the steps with a happy grin just a couple minutes later but it takes several minutes for Clare and Maya to follow. When they finally do they're walking slowly, they look uncomfortable, if I didn't know better I'd think they had both had sex last night. Drew and Owen don't notice as they're still caught up in their talk.

"Are you two okay?" I ask as Clare and Maya walk past us. Both of them look sad, scared and in pain but they don't seem to acknowledge that we're here and I was talking to them. "Clare," I say her name a little louder and slightly sharp causing her and the boys to look at me now.

"Huh?" Clare asks then bites her lip, her cheeks going pink and tears wetting her eyes when she sees us looking at her.

"Are you two okay? You look like you're in pain and walking funny," I comment.

"Yes we're okay, we…we went horseback riding yesterday, for most of the day and we've never gone before. We're just very sore, and tired after a long day," Clare explains.

"You went horseback riding on Thanksgiving?" Drew questions.

"I'm going to go find my friends," Maya says quietly and Clare nods.

Clare watches Maya go inside and then turns back to us, "Yes we didn't have a traditional Thanksgiving because Glen wanted the whole family to go on this really long horseback ride into the mountains. We uh…packed a picnic and ate in the forest and then rode back. Glen and Jake go riding a lot and it didn't bother them but Maya and I…and Mom had never been so we're sore now."

While talking she never looks us in the eye, only at the ground and her hands. She seems almost afraid to even be talking us and sounds a little like she's making an excuse on the spot.

"But we saw you at the store, shopping for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner," Drew points out referring to when he ran into her at the store this past weekend.

"Yes well Glen wanted to spend it outdoors instead," she says quickly, "I really have to get inside now excuse me."

With that Clare turns and walks into school as quickly as she can manage. I look back at Drew and Owen, we're all very confused.

"That was odd," Drew remarks.

"What was odd?" Fitz questions coming to join us.

"Clare and Maya are walking slowly, they seem nervous, Clare told us they went horseback riding yesterday and that's why," I explain to him.

"Huh? I can ask her about it when she tutors me at lunch," Fitz replies.

"Yeah do that," I nod as the bell rings.

Given their skittish behavior I'm a little worried about Clare and Maya, the way their behaving is similar to how I behaved when I was with Vince and Anson, when they controlled and abused me. I've never been so happy as I am now, Drew is a wonderful boyfriend and nothing like Vince or Anson. Clare and Maya are not in relationships however, at least as far as I knew. But it was possible there was some type of abuse at home, all of this was new behavior for both of them though, and Glen and Jake had been in their lives for over two years so why change now? I decided to keep a much closer eye on both the girls. My first class is parenting which I have with not only Owen and Fitz but Clare. Drew has College English first period but he walks me to class and kisses me at the door.

"Let's spend lunch together, just the two of us," Drew says breaking the kiss.

"It's a date," I grin going into class with Owen and Fitz.

Clare sits at her desk all through class and just looks blank but uncomfortable. We are discussing family planning issues but Clare, who is usually observant, studious and eager to participate, simply sits there all through class silent and not really there. She's physically present but not really here, after class she slowly gathers her stuff standing up just Owen is trying to walk past her. They collide of course, her chest hitting his chest but while Owen is barely fazed Clare yelps sharply. Her cry conveying great pain, like stepping on the tail of a puppy, it surprises everyone and Owen looks instantly regretful grabbing her arms out of instinct. Clare's face is contracted in pain, she's taking deep breaths as if trying to breathe through the pain, yet when Owen touches her she flinches away, pulling herself from his touch.

"I'm sorry Clare I didn't mean to hurt you," Owen apologizes, his voice full of agony for causing her pain.

"No it's my fault," she says still sounding in pain but looking at the floor, "and you didn't hurt me. I fell off the horse yesterday, I'm bruised and when we bumped into each it hurt and I…I didn't mean to frighten everyone I'm sorry."

She talks quickly and leaves as quickly as she can manage. I look at Fitz and Owen, they look as concerned as I do but right now we have to get to class. I don't really pay attention in 2nd period only worry about Clare; something is going on but what? Getting Clare, or Maya, to admit it or tell us what is going on may be a near impossible task. I know this from experience, I hid what Anson did to me, what he was like for months. It wasn't until Fitz and Owen found me one morning after a brutal rape by Anson that they knew anything at all. I still didn't really talk about it, gave them bits and pieces, enough that they got angry and with some help from a few of our more intimidating friends at the ravine told Anson I was done with him. I was safe for a year and happy with Drew until Anson tried to attack and I killed him in self-defense. Then Vince and his gang went after Drew and to save him I went to Vince. Thankfully that lasted only a few short months, regrettably it only ended after Adam was shot but he was okay, after surgery to remove the bullet from his shoulder and a summer of physical therapy. During both abusive relationships I was afraid to speak up, to tell anyone or get help. It was embarrassing and hard to talk about and I was sure that no one would care or help me, so I know how impossible it may be for Clare or Maya to speak out about whatever abuse they are suffering.

"Hey there beautiful," Drew grins when I meet him for lunch. I smile and kiss him softly, he puts his arm around me and we walk out to the back of school, eating on the lacrosse field bleachers. "Have I told you lately that I have the most beautiful and sexy girlfriend in all of Toronto," Drew comments when we start eating.

I smile and kiss his cheek, "You're very sweet, terribly biased but sweet."

"It's true though, everyone knows it," he replies and I laugh.

"And everyone knows that I have the sweetest boyfriend," I tell him and he grins.

After we eat I lean against him, he puts his arms around me, taking my hands and interlacing our fingers. I'm so happy in his arms; feel so very safe and beautiful, when I'm with Drew I feel like nothing can touch me, no one can harm me. I have never been so happy as I am when I'm with Drew and I'm sure that I'm falling in love with him.

**(FITZ)**

It's lunch and I'm sitting with Clare in the memorial garden for my lunch time tutoring session. I've been listening to her but also thinking about what Bianca said, thinking back on how she was behaving in parenting class and math class.

"Are you really okay?" I ask her abruptly and cutting her off as she tries to explain something.

"What?" She inquires.

"Did you really go horseback riding and fall off your horse?" I ask her.

"Are you accusing me of lying?" She snaps sounding offended.

"No I didn't mean that, sorry I'm just worried, you've been different today and moving strangely," I explain.

"I'm fine, we went horseback riding and I fell. Maya and I have never been before, you try riding a trail for six hours and see how well you move the next day," she replies with some irritation.

"You're right I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," I apologize and her demeanor changes, her face relaxing a little.

"You didn't and I didn't mean to snap at you, I'm just…yesterday was a long day and not the Thanksgiving that Maya and I were expecting. I guess I'm still upset about it, I shouldn't have taken it out on you," she says remorsefully.

"It's okay I get it, I've had holidays like that myself," I tell her with a sympathetic smile and she smiles back.

"Can we get back to your lesson now?" She asks and I nod so she goes back to explaining what she was before.

"How did you think your Thanksgiving w…"

"Mark please," she cuts me off and is so irritated she actually uses my first name, "can we just get to your lesson before the bell?"

"Sorry I won't interrupt again but you used my first name, no one calls me Mark," I tell her grinding my teeth on my name.

"Sorry," she says quickly looking away from me with a fear in her eyes as if she thinks I might hurt her. "I didn't mean to, I just want to concentrate on the lesson so you can learn. I won't do it again," her voice is trembling slightly like she's nearly in tears.

"Clare it's okay, don't worry about it, I'm not angry that you accidently called me Mark. I just hate my name, why do you think I make everyone call me Fitz," I comment but make sure I'm smiling and she smiles too. "Can you explain that last part again?" I request pointing to the book.

Clare goes back to tutoring me until the bell rings for class, we both have art next and walk down the hall together but Clare stops at the girl's washroom saying she see me in class. I go ahead on to class, I'm the first one there and we should be getting a new project this week so there's nothing to do but sit at our table and move over another chair so Clare can sit with us. It's usually 4 to a table and Clare had been sitting at the front of the class when school started but recently she was sitting in back and with us whenever she could. Since she tutored me at lunch we'd come to art together and she'd sit next to me, of course Owen would sit next to her and then Drew would pull over another chair so he and Bianca could sit. So today I decided just to pull over another chair. Drew, Bianca, Owen and all the other kids in this class came in but Clare barely made it in before the late bell.

"I have permission slips for you to take home as Friday we will be taking a field trip to Art Gallery of Ontario," Mrs. Dawes tells us as she hands out permission slips to the students in the first row and they hand them back. "This week you'll be working on a self-portrait, you may use which ever medium you like and whatever style you like. Come get a small mirror so you can properly look at your face," Mrs. Dawes instructs.

Most of us get sketch books or easels and paints or charcoal but Clare just sits there chewing on her lower lip.

"What's wrong?" Owen asks her.

"I don't think I can do a self-portrait," she says.

"Sure you can, just draw what you see," I tell her.

"I'll get you a mirror," Owen tells her going to the front of the class and getting a mirror for himself and a mirror for her.

Clare gets an easel and a pencil, Owen hangs her mirror on the easel but she doesn't seem to look in the mirror for the entire class. I sneak a look at her easel at the end of class but all I see are a lot of angles, although it is only the first day. Clare walks out of class without doing anything with her easel or remembering her permission slip. I grab her permission slip while Owen puts away her easel.

"I can take her permission slip to her," Owen says.

"I know you'd like to but you have auto shop next, I have a spare I'll take it to her," I tell him. I do know that she Core French this period so I head there and catch Clare just before she goes into class. "You forgot your permission slip," I tell her.

"Oh thanks Fitz," she says forcing a smile on her lips.

I smile back to her and then head to The Dot as it is the last period of the day and I have work right after school. I sit in the employee lounge and get started on my homework starting on my math homework since it's the hardest. I clock in at 3:15 when my shift starts, kids from DeGrassi soon fill the café for the after school afternoon rush. It slows down around 5 when most kids have to start heading home for dinner. It's also about the time football practice gets out and a few of the football players come in, Owen among them.

"Hey how was practice?" I ask him.

"Tiring, give me an iced mocha," he says putting money on the counter and I ring him up putting the money in the till before I start making his drink. "When are you off tonight?" Owen asks when I hand his drink to him.

"I'm off at 8," I reply.

"You going home tonight?" He asks.

"I guess so, I mean I need clean clothes," I tell him.

"Well if things get bad just come to my house, you know where the spare key is," Owen says and I smile at him.

Owen doesn't stay since he has to be home for dinner but I smile when the next person through the door is Maya. She's not alone, she's with Adam, Zig, Mo and Imogen, the other members of Whisper Hug.

"Hi Maya," I smile and she smiles back, she looks happier than when I saw her this morning, and much happier than her sister has been all day. "Hi Adam, guys," I nod to the others.

"Hey Fitz," Adam says.

They all order drinks to go, Adam pays for Maya, Imogen pays for Zig and they leave when they have their drinks. I finish out my shift with the image of Maya smiling at me in my head the whole time. After clocking out I walk home, wandering a little slow because in truth I really don't want to go home.

"You're home pretty late," my stepdad Ed says from the sofa, giving me a spiteful look and taking a sip from his beer.

"Yeah well I have a job remember," I reply putting my backpack down and going into the kitchen.

"What the hell are you doing?" He growls at me when I open the fridge.

"Getting dinner," I reply.

"You fucking freeloader, if you have a job then you should be paying your way."

"I'm not paying for you to drink all day," I respond getting out some lunch meat.

"WATCH YOUR MOUTH YOU LITTLE PRICK!" He hollers tossing his half full beer bottle across the room and nearly missing my head. The bottle smashes against the wall and shatters, leaving a beer stain on the wall.

My mom comes running out from the hallway and looks at the mess, "I'll clean this up honey and make you sandwich."

"It's okay Mom I'll just get some clothes and sleep at Owen's again," I tell her bending down to start cleaning up the broken glass but she stops me.

"I'll get in honey, just get some clothes," Mom says.

I kiss her cheek and go to my room grabbing clothes and putting them in my backpack. Steve is here smoking on his pipe and he starts laughing at nothing at all. He tries to talk but it comes out all garbled because he's high so I just grab my clothes and leave as quickly as I can. Owen's house isn't far from mine and I take the spare key from the under the planter, it's only a little after nine and everyone is still awake.

"Fitz honey is everything okay?" Mrs. Milligan asks when I come through the door.

"Yes ma'am is it okay if I sleep here again?"

"Of course dear, Tris go get your brother and tell him Fitz is here," Mrs. Milligan says and Tris goes to get Owen. "Have you eaten?" Mrs. Milligan asks and I shake my head.

"Maybe you should just move in," Owen says half joking and I smile.

Mrs. Milligan makes me a plate of leftovers from Thanksgiving and I take it up to Owen's room. I eat at his desk and finish my homework before setting up my bed.

"You know Maya smiled at me today," I tell him.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, the band came in after practice, she didn't say anything but she smiled. It's a start and she has a beautiful smile, I wish she would do it more often."

**(CLARE)**

_**Friday October 14**__**th**_

_**I've been able to keep Maya and me from being raped again since Thanksgiving. I told Glen that we were sore and barely able to keep up the horseback story at school on Tuesday, that we needed time to heal. He wasn't happy but I pointed out that he wanted everything to appear as normal. I've kept us from being raped but not from being assaulted. I'd been chained to Glen's bed every night this week and forced to sleep in the bed with him, he didn't rape me but he did touch me and masturbate himself or have me perform fellatio. Glen seemed to like my breasts most of all and took particular pleasure in squeezing them until I would whimper in pain. My sister had been chained to Jake's bed each night this week and forced to sleep in the bed with him. I knew that he was touching her too but his father would remind him every night to restrain himself and not hurt her. Maya would never tell me exactly what Jake did with her at night, only that he made her touch him, jerk him off, and I held out hope that was all he did, though I was sure it wasn't. Not that I gave her details about what Glen did to me at night, we didn't like to talk about it.**_

_**Aside from these nightly assaults father and son would touch us at home whenever they pleased. Typically in the middle of chores or during dinner but more than once Jake had come into our room while we were doing homework and he'd grope us both for a minute or two before leaving. Perhaps worst of all Jake had begun this behavior while driving us to and from school, it had started on Tuesday morning. Without his father to restrain him Jake felt he could do whatever he liked and he did. I'd sat next to him both to and from school for the last 3 days to save Maya from this but I knew eventually he'd insist that Maya sit there. Usually he would just play with my breasts, sometimes awkwardly fingering me, jabbing his finger in as hard as he could. Yesterday he wanted a blow job on the way home.**_

_**School was my only refuge from these dark days that have begun to fill my life. Maya too has Whisper Hug practice and it spares her a couple hours three days a week from this pain, a respite I am grateful she has even if I have to endure more. I find myself longing for school and the relative safety of its halls, Jake can't touch us in school neither can Glen. I relish the moments of peace with my friends, the quiet calm of tutoring Fitz, of being alone with a guy that isn't trying to touch me or force me to do anything. I wish I could stay there, just freeze time in art class or at lunch and never come home again.**_

"CLARE!" Glen yells at me interrupting my journaling and I jump. "What are you doing? Finish your breakfast and go change for school, I expect you both to be home directly after school," Glen says as I close my journal and slip it into my backpack.

"I have band practice," Maya says quietly.

"This band is taking a great deal of your time," Glen says angrily.

"If you want everything to appear normal then you have to let her stay in the band, I'll be home after school. Won't you be at work when we get home?" I question.

"No I will be running an errand and Jake will bring you home directly after school," Glen informs me in a condescending tone as if I should have known this.

He then whispers to Jake who gets a lecherously depraved, excited smile on his face. When Glen sees me watching them he barks at me to get dressed so I go upstairs, Maya is already dressing in our room.

"I can sit next to Jake on the way to school," she offers as I begin changing out of my "uniform".

"No I'll do it, you already have to spend the nights in his bed," I reply.

"And you spend yours in Glen's," she points out.

"I know but I'm the oldest, I can take it and I'll protect you from anything if I can. You won't sit next to Jake unless he expressly desires it," I tell her with finality.

When we're dressed and ready for school Glen removes our ankle bracelets and we get in Jake's truck. As soon as he's backed out of the driveway and on the way to school he starts groping my breasts. While Glen takes some amount of pleasure from our painful cries Jake seems to find them rapturous, our being in pain seems to be the only thing that turns him on. I'm certain he's a sexual sadist as he seems to get off more from the fact that he and/or Glen is causing us pain than the act of groping us or us touching him. Glen seems to have a touch of sexual sadism himself but not like his son; thankfully Jake is controlled by his father who, while incredibly cruel, is practical and intelligent. He wants everything to appear normal; therefor we must go to school in clothes that don't reveal too much, we can do certain things like Maya being in Whisper Hug, and most importantly he shows some restraint and forces Jake to do the same. I'm certain if Glen ever left us with Jake for a day without telling him to be careful that Maya and I would be tortured in a plethora of sick ways. We pull up to school and Jake stops, parking in the parking lot next to Bianca who also just pulled in.

"Hey Clare, excited for the field trip today?" Bianca asks and I nod.

"What field trip?" Jake asks suspiciously.

"For art class," I reply and Jake shrugs as we all begin walking into school.

I notice that Jake watches Bianca the whole time and then scowls when Bianca greets Drew with a kiss. He takes my hand and pulls me into school with him as Maya stops on the steps to talk to Tris.

"Jake we're at school, this doesn't look normal," I point out as he pulls me through the school halls and he lets go of my hand when he sees other kids watching us.

He looks at me like he might say something and then walks down the hall without a word. I walk to my locker and start taking out books. Jake seems to be somewhat annoyed all morning, I wouldn't care except that I'm afraid what this means for me and Maya later. I tutor Fitz at lunch as always, he's grasping the material better now and I'm proud of the progress he's made in the little bit of time we've had. Just before lunch ends we meet the rest of art class in the courtyard to take the bus to the museum, we're not going to see the whole museum in the hour that we have of course, just a couple of exhibits. I linger at the back of the group, looking at each piece of art as long as I can, after a few minutes of this Owen drops to the back with me.

"Enjoying the art?" He asks.

"Yes, it's very peaceful here," I reply.

"Yeah I guess it is, a little too quiet for my taste, come on we're going to lose the group," Owen says putting his hand at my back and I flinch away slightly out of instinct.

Owen doesn't seem to notice and we catch up with the group, he does stay right by my side for the rest of the field trip though. The field trip is over too quickly and I know that there's only one class left before I have to go home. I dread the weekends, no longer are they a chance to sleep in and a break from school, now they are simply two full days of Glen and Jake being able to do nearly anything that they want to us. French class is over too quickly and after making sure Maya is safely at band rehearsal I walk to the parking lot to meet Jake and go home. He's already in the truck and I get in trying to sit in the passenger seat but of course he won't have that.

"Uh-uh in the middle, I can't touch you from over there," Jake says and I scoot over. "I like Bianca," he informs me as he pushes his hand up my skirt.

"Bianca's dating Drew," I point out.

"I know that you stupid wench, I want you to talk me up to her. Make her like me so she dumps Drew," he says.

"_Are you insane?! You think Bianca would ever dump sweet, football star Drew for you?! Or that I have anything good to say about you! That I would lie and bring Bianca into this mess?!" _I say none of this out loud of course, merely think it. Instead I nod like I'm cooperating but of course there is no way in hell I will talk Jake up to Bianca.

We arrive home and Glen is already here, I go upstairs to put away my backpack and begin changing but Glen opens the door as I'm changing.

"Put everything on but your G-string and skirt," he instructs and I do as ordered. "Now get on your bed, facing the wall on your hands and knees," he commands. I bite my lip knowing something terrible is going to happen but I have no choice. I do as I was told and hear Jake sort of chuckling wickedly along with sounds of a package being opened. "Since you were both so sore after sex we'll just have to stretch you out a bit and we have all weekend," he says then something phallic shaped, I assume to be a dildo of some sort, is roughly shoved into me without the use of lube. It's feels about the same size a Glen but went in dry and stings terribly forcing me to cry out which Jake find terribly amusing. "Now get up and finish getting dressed," Glen orders but I still hurt and can't move just yet. "I SAID GET THE REST OF YOUR UNIFORM ON!" He yells when I don't move, he grips my hair pulling me off the bed by it and tossing me to the floor where the rest of my uniform lies. I'm still crying but manage to get the G-string and skirt on without getting off the floor. "Good now get to your chores, you will do them all and have the dildo inside until after dinner, should it come out I will replace it with a bigger one and you'll do all your chores over again."

I can barely walk, squeezing my legs together to prevent it from falling out. I wish I could tell Maya not come home so that she doesn't have to endure this humiliation and pain. I can't of course, my cell phone has been taken and they'll watch me all afternoon. The worst part is I know that after an afternoon and evening of this agony we'll be subjected to rapes tonight. I'd pray for rescue but I've forgotten how to pray, not that it much matters as my faith had dwindled before this and now is entirely broken. All I can do now is endure and survive until my strength gives away as I'm almost certain the only way out from this hell is the way my mom got out. I have little doubt any longer that my only option for getting away from Glen and Jake is death.

**Update next Sunday picking up most likely with Maya getting home and in her pov.**


	8. I Wish I Felt Nothing

**This chapter gets pretty dark. If you need something happy to read afterwards I suggest Christlove88's newest one shot "Kissing as the Fireworks Fly". It's a very sweet and fluffy shot and a good read.**

**Ch. 8 I Wish I Felt Nothing**

**(MAYA)**

"Thanks for the ride Adam," I smile as he pulls up to my house Friday night after Whisper Hug practice.

"No problem, see you tomorrow Maya," Adam grins.

I get out of his car and walk slowly to my front door. Leaving the freeing fun of band practice for the torturous prison that has become my home is painful. I don't want to open the door, I don't want to go inside, I can feel my happiness draining with every step I take toward the front door. I wave to Adam just before I open the exterior entry door and find Glen waiting for me before I can get through the second door.

"It's about time you got home," Glen says as I hear a door closing upstairs.

"Where's Clare?" I inquire when the rest of the house seems eerily silent.

"Jake is chaining her to my bed," Glen simply says as he attaches my ankle bracelet and holds his hand out for my cell phone. I take my phone from my backpack and hand it to him. "Go change into your uniform and be quick about it, Clare made dinner but you'll have to perform both your duties and hers at dinner tonight," Glen informs me.

"Why? Is she hurt? Did you punish h…" I stop when I see the way Glen is looking at me knowing that I'll get punished for talking back if I don't stop. "Never mind I'll go change into my uniform now," I say timidly.

"Good girl," Glen grins. He follows me upstairs and into the room Clare and I share, he watches me change into my uniform and Jake comes in when I'm almost changed. "Now get on the bed on your hands and knees, facing the wall," Glen commands when I'm done and I do as I'm told.

Glen gets on the bed behind me, I think he's going to rape me at first but I hear the cracking of a plastic package. Glen moves aside the G-string and spreads my vagina open, I still think he's going to rape me until something penis shaped and hard is shoved into me and I scream falling forward on the bed as Glen adjusts my G-string back into place. I'm told that I have to keep it in while I serve dinner or Clare will be punished severely. Glen gets an evil glint in his eye when he says this and a carnally sadistic grin. He wants to hurt Clare, he likes to hurt Clare, I can see it all in his eyes, he's hoping that I can't keep it in so that he can hurt Clare.

"My sister can I please see her?" I request in a meek voice.

"You can see her in the morning," Glen responds.

He grabs me by the arm and pulls me to stand up, the thing inside me isn't very big but it hurts. Moving with it in is very uncomfortable, I move slowly while serving dinner but at least I am spared having to give them blow jobs. Glen says Clare and I can get up early and clean the kitchen, he seems eager to get to something, almost like he's late for an appointment but I'm sure he just wants to get upstairs to my sister who is chained to his bed. Jake takes me up to his room of course but Glen reminds him to be gentle with me, funny that he does this when he is never gentle with Clare. I think that Glen is only afraid that Jake might go so far as to actually kill me and that would draw attention to us. No one had seen my mom since soon after marrying Glen but it was a slow progression, she just stopped leaving the house and quit her job to be a mom and no one seemed to notice. On the other hand if I suddenly stop going to school then people will notice and eventually they'll come to the house.

"Change into your sleeping uniform," Jake says when we get up to my room.

I start changing with Jake watching while Glen goes into his room, when he opens the door I can hear Clare. She's sobbing, she sounds in pain and my chest gets tight from the sound. When I'm in my sleeping uniform Jake hooks a finger into the back of my choker and drags me into his room. He chains me to his bed and tells me to get on my hands and knees, he always does this, he doesn't like looking at me as he rapes me.

"Let's get this dildo out so I can fit into this tight pussy of yours," Jake says reaching in with two fingers and yanking it out.

My body lurches and all though it disgusts me my body did get wet with the dildo inside me. Jake sets the dildo on the bed and moves my panties aside to rape me. He goes pretty fast this time I grip the bedspread because it hurts, at least he doesn't go all the way in. I close my eyes and try to write a song in my head until it's over. It feels like it takes forever but it really wasn't that long, he went fast and it hurts, stings like hell. When Jake is done he smacks me on the butt and goes out of the room to get ready for bed. I get under the covers, breathing deep to ease the pain and wipe the tears from my face onto the pillow. I curl up on my side and then hear my sister scream in pain! Instinctually I try and get out of bed but the chain stops me of course, pulling me back. I sit in the bed, crying harder now because I can hear my sister's pain and a million terrible things rush through my mind about what Glen could be doing to her. Clare doesn't scream again but I can hear her sobbing, her heavy breaths choked with tears and pain. Jake comes back in the room with a grin, not a light happy grin like Adam or even a slightly mischievous grin like Zig. No Jake's grin is evil, empty and evil like he's not really human.

"Sounds like my dad is having fun with Clare, I hope I get a turn with her soon. We don't have to be gentle with her, she'll take anything because she knows if she doesn't we'll hurt you," Jake says turning of the light and getting into bed. He says it with a voice so callus and empty but with a hint of pleased malice and it makes me sick.

Jake lies on his back and when I don't lay down next to him he yanks at the chain. I get under the covers and lie on my side, Jake falls asleep quickly and I fall asleep only out of exhaustion. I have a dream about when I was little, I was eight it was the last really happy time I remember before everything started falling apart. It was Sunday and we'd just come from church, my whole family, and we went to the park for a picnic. We ate lunch on this big red picnic blanket, my parents were smiling and Dad talking to Mom about where the family should go on vacation that summer. Darcy was chasing me and Clare around the grass; we were laughing, playing and enjoying being kids. When I wake up it will all be gone, Clare is all the family I have left and we live in a torturous prison created by our own stepfather. I want to have faith that we'll both get out of here but every day that seems less and less likely.

**(CLARE)**

"Get up you have to clean the kitchen," Glen says smacking my ass when the alarm goes off early Saturday morning. I sit up rubbing my eyes and look at the clock, it's only 4:30 I'm exhausted and sore, very sore everywhere. "Clean the kitchen and make us breakfast in your sleeping uniforms," Glen tells me as he unhooks the chain from my choker.

I simply nod in acknowledgement, standing slowly, it hurts to stand and my legs feel weak. Glen only barks at me to get downstairs and I make my way toward the door, Glen follows me banging on Jake's door for Maya to wake up. Using the railing as support I slowly make my way downstairs and to the kitchen. The kitchen is still dirty from dinner last night; the dishes are even still on the table. I start clearing the table and Glen comes down followed by Maya, still in her sleeping uniform as well.

"Clean up and then make breakfast, I feel like pancakes this morning, with bacon, eggs and fresh coffee. You will wake us up when all the food is hot and the coffee fresh and don't make too much noise while you're cleaning. Make sure that breakfast is not ready before 7 but no later than 7:30 I have plans for today," Glen says ominously and then goes back upstairs to go back to sleep.

Maya and I begin cleaning up in silence, we're both sore and moving slowly, every few minutes one of us takes a sharp breath or makes a painful sound. We're both careful not to make any sort of noise, washing dishes and loading the dishwasher as silently as possible so we don't wake Glen or Jake. When we've successfully made the kitchen and dining room spotless it's only a little before 6 and I know we don't have to start breakfast yet. I pour some cereal for us both, since anything else would be too loud, and we sit on the sofa. I turn the TV on and the volume down nearly all the way. We eat slowly and silently immediately cleaning our dishes when we're done and sitting on the sofa again to rest before we have to start breakfast.

"What did Glen do to you last night?" Maya asks in a whisper after a short time.

"Nothing that he hasn't done before, don't worry about it," I tell her biting back the tears as I try not to think about it.

"I heard you cry out," she prods.

"Glen doesn't like to hold back," is all I tell her.

Maya doesn't prod any further and we sit silently watching early morning TV until I tell her it's time to start breakfast. We make the pancakes first; I make three batches because Jake eats a lot. Keeping the pancakes warm in the oven we start on the bacon and eggs and I start the coffee.

"I'll go wake them, set the table," I tell Maya when everything is finished. Maya nods and I go upstairs to Jake's room opening the door slowly. "Jake wake up breakfast is ready," I say quietly as I shake him gently.

Jake groans and reaches out to grab me but I stand up out of his grasp and quickly leave the room. I go to Glen's room and quietly open the door tiptoeing to his side of the bed. I can't even look at the other side, the side where my dead mother used to sleep, the side where I am now chained and raped nearly every night. I barely put my hand on Glen's shoulder and his eyes pop open so suddenly that it startles me.

"You know I think you should start waking me up with a blow job," Glen comments with a grin that bears both carnal excitement and malice. "I'd have you give me one now but my breakfast will get cold, you'd have to make it again and then it would delay my plans for the day."

He says it so coldly, so nonchalantly that it sends a chill up my spine, whatever his plans are for the day I know that it means pain for me and Maya. Glen gets out of bed putting on boxers and pajama bottoms and I begin to make my way downstairs again. Jake is already down here, sitting at the table with Maya on his lap, her eyes are closed to stop the tears as Jake pinches her nipples through her teddy. I walk over, taking her hand and pulling her off Jake's lap and he glares at me.

"We have to serve breakfast," I remind him taking Maya into the kitchen with me.

Glen comes down the stairs and sits at his end of the table while Maya and I start serving. They start eating and Glen looks at me telling me to get under the table as he wants his blowjob now.

"I want one too," Jake complains as I get under the table, "Maya get down and blow me."

"Son," Glen scolds as he pulls his boxers and pajama bottoms down, "If Maya gets under the table to blow you right now then neither of them can serve us breakfast. Clare is already down there, she can blow you after me, then she won't need to eat breakfast," Glen remarks and then laughs, Jake laughs too and I'm glad they can't see me down here so that I don't have to wipe away the tears.

I do as ordered and blow Glen forcing myself to swallow all of his sour seed. Then I crawl under the table to Jake, who only bothered to put on boxers, and pull his hardening dick through the hole in them I blow him. I swallow his cum too but only because I know if I spit it out or even choke on it the punishment from Glen will be quite painful. When I'm finally done Maya helps me out from under the table and I stand at Glen's side until he's finished breakfast.

"Since Clare's belly is full of sperm she doesn't need to eat so you start cleaning up while Maya eats," Glen orders when they're done with breakfast.

Glen sits on the sofa to watch us but Jake goes upstairs after his father whispers something to him. I start cleaning while Maya eats a little but she already had cereal and isn't very hungry. She eats a piece of bacon and a pancake then comes over to help me clean up. We could clean faster than we do since we can make noise now but neither of us want to know what's coming next.

"Upstairs to your room," Glen orders when we're finished and we obey. When we get upstairs I smell candles burning, there are a dozen big ones burning on a tray on my desk. "Get naked girls," Glen commands and we do of course fearing what will happen if we don't.

"What are the candles for?" Maya asks cautiously.

"For you two, I'm going to pour hot wax on you both," Glen informs us.

"Why?" Maya asks with tears in her eyes.

Glen looks livid now, "Why? Because I want to and I can! You two are objects, toys for us and I will do whatever the fuck I want to you both! Today I want to pour hot wax on you I want to hear your screams when it hits your skin."

"I want to make them scream," Jake says excitedly clapping his hands together.

"Maya run," I assert grabbing her hand and trying to run for the door, a fruitless task as Jake and Glen are both near the door and now they are angry.

"GRAB MAYA!" Glen barks as he grabs me by the hair and wrenches me from Maya. Glen holds me close, one arm around my chest and the other still pulling at my hair. Jake grabs Maya by the hair and holds her with one of her arms twisted behind her back. "WHEN WILL YOU FUCKING LEARN NOT TO RUN?!" Glen yells at me yanking on my hair again.

"Can we punish her now? I want to pour wax on her," Jake laughs with maniacal pleasure.

"Into my room, I guess you'll have to be chained to the bed," Glen growls. He takes me into his room and Jake follows with Maya, Glen tosses me onto his bed roughly and pulls at my choker to hook the chain to it. "Hold onto Maya," Glen tells Jake and walks from the room.

"I can't wait to make you both scream," Jake laughs as I hear his dad getting the candles from the other room.

Glen returns to the room with the candles, carrying them carefully on the tray. He sets them on the bedside table and Jake sits on the other side of the bed, he puts Maya in his lap, one arm around her chest and the other hand over her mouth. Glen sits on the bed straddled over my stomach and takes a candle from the tray. He tips the candle down, keeping the flame only an inch from my skin and dripping hot wax all over my chest and breasts. I suck in a breath and bite my lip, it's not all that painful, mostly it just stings for a second but when he does it on my nipples I scream out as that does hurt. Glen and Jake both take delight in my screams but I hear my sister sobbing, I can't look at her though, at any of them and I keep my eyes shut tight.

Actually aside from the searing pain on my nipples the hot wax was kind of soothing on my perpetually bruised breasts. I still wouldn't open my eyes simply because it was horribly demeaning and embarrassing. Glen gets another candle now, holding one in each hand and pours wax all down my front, I'm getting coated in it. I'm doing my best not to make sounds, of any kind. I try to escape in my mind, to be somewhere else, and it works until he drops some wax right on my clit and I do scream in pain. Jake laughs again, Maya sobs harder and Glen tells me to rollover as he gets off my legs. I do and keep my eyes closed turning away from everyone, Glen stands at the side of the bed now and sets the candles down.

"You need to learn not to run Clare, not to talk back. You need to learn that you are nothing and that disobeying me means pain," Glen tells me going to his dresser and opening a drawer.

I hear a leather strap being pulled tight, opening my eyes to see a belt in his hand just as he lashes me across the buttocks with it hard! I choke on the breath trying to come from my throat, Maya screams but it gets muffled by Jake's hand. Before I can even catch my breath or recover from the sting of the belt whipping me Glen pours hot wax on the welt!

"AGHHH!" I scream closing my eyes tight as the salt from my tears burns almost as much as Glen whipping me with the belt again!

Glen whips me several more times and after each time he pours hot wax on the welt. The pain is intense, sharp and stinging; I begin sobbing so hard that it gets hard to breathe. My entire body is tense, rigid with pain and I grip the bed sheet twisting it in my hands. My knuckles aching from squeezing so tight but he finally stops and I relax into the bed.

"That was fun; we'll do it again for now you need to clean up. Jake take her into the shower and help her clean up, Maya you will stay in here and clean up this mess," Glen commands.

I'm still trying to breathe as the chain on my choker is unhooked. I feel Maya's timid shaky fingers touch my arm but I don't have the strength to lift my head and look at her. Jake grabs my arm pulling me off the bed and I stumble almost falling to the ground. He doesn't care though only pulls me out of the room and into our washroom. I can hear Glen barking orders at Maya as Jake shoves me to the washroom floor and turns on the shower.

"I like how bruised your breasts are, and how you look with your ass all welted and covered in wax. I bet Bianca would good covered in wax like that," Jake comments off hand. I'm in too much pain for this comment to really sink in but it will come back and worry me later. "I can't wait to get my hands on you for real," Jake says adjusting the water and taking off his boxers. The tears pour from my eyes, as much from pain as fear from what he means by get his hands on me. "Get up the showers ready," he growls at me when I just sit here crying.

I stand slowly, gripping the sink to pull myself up and trying not to show him how much pain I'm in because he enjoys that. He gets in the shower and pulls me with him, roughly scraping the wax off me, all though most of it has fallen off already. My legs are shaking, I can barely stand, I sink to the shower floor and Jake just comes with me still pulling the wax off. He lingers at my clit, enjoying the noise I make when he rips the dry wax off. All the pieces of dry wax are beginning to clog the hair catcher that sits in the drain but Jake doesn't care. He spends extra time on my breasts, squeezing them even harder than Glen does and I can't help but scream. Jake then feels the need to finger me roughly and it's all turning him on. He stands up, pulls me up and then forces me to bend forward my hands bracing on the wall. He spreads my legs and picks at some of the wax on my ass.

"Don't worry I'll tell Dad you need to rest after this," Jake says with a lecherously sadistic voice and then he shoves his dick all the way into me as hard as he can.

I choke on my tears, almost falling forward but Jake grabs my hips tightly and prevents this. He doesn't bother to be gentle, it's hard and painful but at least it's fast, he ejaculates after just a couple of minutes. Then he pulls out of me, lets go of me and I drop to the floor of the tub with a hard thud and a splash. Jake turns off the water and tosses me a towel which I wrap around my upper body and realize I'm shaking.

"You're a good fuck, better than your sister but I don't have to be careful with you," Jake grins as he pulls me out of the tub and leans me against the wall. "You know there is something I have been wanting to do for a while now," he says with viciously carnal smile.

He rips the towel from my hands and holds my left breast in his hand, firmly but not squeezing hard. He bends his head down putting his lips on it and then he opens his mouth and bites down!

"OWWWWWWWWWWWW!" I scream as his teeth break my flesh with a slight crunching feel and he draws blood.

I hear Glen yelling and Jake lets go of me, I feel woozy, everything goes blurry and then black.

**(OWEN)**

"I'm staying after school for the play, Eli wants to run through the whole script for his movie," Tris tells me when we pull up to school Monday morning.

"Cool you should be able to ride home with me after practice then," I reply parking in the school lot.

Tris gets out and goes to find his friends; I grab my backpack and walk inside. Drew, Bianca and Fitz are in the foyer and I join them.

"What'd you do this weekend? I didn't see you all weekend," Bianca remarks.

"Yeah we went to Ottawa to see my grandparents," I reply.

"Sounds like fun, I spent the whole weekend at Drew's," Bianca smiles and kisses her boyfriend.

"Well not the whole weekend, Mom made her go home at night," Drew responds.

"I was working all weekend," Fitz comments.

"You always work all weekend," Bianca laughs as we head to our lockers.

After getting our books we head to parenting class, except for Drew who has English this period. We sit at our desks talking about Halloween; Will is having a costume party so we're discussing what we should be. And then I see her, in the hallway talking to Eli, her beautiful blue eyes glistening even in the harsh hallway lights. Her soft cherub face wears a sad half smile, her cinnamon curls bounce as she moves. I break out of it when I feel Bianca hit my arm and I look over at her.

"Why don't you just talk to her," Bianca says.

"I've tried that, I mean I do talk to her but she barely talks to me," I sigh.

"Then try harder dummy, you are obviously hung up on the girl," Bianca teases.

I just sigh as Clare walks into class, sitting at her desk and opening her book. Miss Sauve comes in and begins class, she breaks us into groups and Clare is in our group. We're beginning teens and parenting this week and we're supposed to have an open discussion on teen parenting, only Clare doesn't say anything. She just sits there, looking like she's taking notes in her notebook. She will barely look at us; she looks down, biting her lip and looking like she's trying not to cry. When class ends she gets up quickly and exits the room, forgetting her notebook so I pick it up. It's very worn and stuffed with pages that have been torn out, from this book or another, the cover looks rather plain, it's not doodled on or written on just has a plain blue cover.

"I should take this to Clare," I tell them.

"Uh huh," Bianca grins.

I give them a slight scowl and look for Clare figuring I'll start at her locker and I do find her there.

"Uh hey, you dropped this," I tell Clare scratching the back of my head uncomfortably. I can't believe I'm nervous, I'm never nervous around girls, just Clare but then she isn't just any girl, not to me.

"Thanks Owen," she says with a small smile.

"No problem," I reply and try searching for something else to say but I can't and Clare starts to walk away. She only gets a few steps and then falters, slipping on something or like she took a step and was suddenly in pain. I run over and catch her, my arms around her waist from behind and I help to steady her. "You okay?"

"Yeah fine, thanks again," she smiles.

I grin back and Clare starts to walk off again, I notice now that there's a paper on the ground and I know it fell from her notebook. I pick it up and see a short poem on it that I can't help but read.

**Velvet, iron and cotton**

**This prison I must bear**

**How you make me cringe**

**How my heart yearns to break free.**

It's short but depressing and I wonder why she even wrote it but I have to return it to her.

"Clare," I call running up to her again and she stops to look at me. "I think this fell from your notebook."

"Oh thanks Owen, again," she says adopting another sad smile as she takes the poem back and stuffs it in her backpack.

"It's pretty dark and sad," I comment.

"Oh yeah it was a writing assignment last year," she says but bites her lip and looks away.

"Are you okay? You know you can talk to me Clare, about anything," I tell her putting my hand on her arm and I feel her relax a little when I do.

"Get your hands off of her!" Jake growls appearing suddenly and snatching my hand away from Clare. She gasps looking a little scared and I'm just shocked. Jake turns to Clare and intimately brushes a curl behind her ear, "Get to class," he demands and Clare takes off now Jake looks at me. "Stay away from Clare! My stepsisters are…" he pause looking up as he searches for an appropriate word and then locks his eyes back on me, "fragile, they don't trust people, they've had bad experiences. And I don't like when other people touch what's mine."

Then he walks away, I should have hit him, punched him right in the face but the whole scene was so odd and disturbing I'm just in shock. What he said and how he said it were all so surreal I have to replay it in my head, the whole thing was just…weird. I don't come out of my trance until the bell rings and then I walk to class. I hurry to business leadership and sit at my desk, we're paired off in this class too, we're supposed to look at models of business plans and decide which might be the most successful for the fake business we're assigned. I get paired with Eli and our fake business is a sports equipment store, well suited for me but not so much for Eli.

"Dude are you going to pay attention?" Eli snaps at me.

"Sorry, it's just I had this weird encounter in the hall with Clare and Jake," I apologize.

"Jake is a weird guy," Eli shrugs.

"Yeah I know but it was weird even for him," I reply.

"Weird how?" Eli asks.

"Clare left her notebook in class so I took it to her; she thanked me, started to walk away and then slipped…sort of. Anyhow I caught her and she thanked me again then started to walk away and I noticed a paper that fell from her notebook. I picked it up, it had a poem on it, it was dark and depressing," I tell him.

"What do you mean dark?" Eli questions.

"Something about velvet, cotton and iron being a prison, someone makes her cringe and she yearns to break free," I reply trying to remember the poem.

"Cryptic, sounds like something I might write," Eli says wrinkling his face a little like he doesn't believe that Clare wrote it.

"Anyway I took it back to her and she thanked me again, told me it was for a writing assignment last year. She looked sad and I touched her arm asking if she was okay and telling her that she could talk to me about anything. Then Jake suddenly appeared, grabbing my hand away from her and telling her to get to class and she did. Then he looked back at me, he was angry and told me to stay away from Clare and Maya both. Said his stepsisters were fragile, they'd had bad experiences and they don't trust people. Then he said he didn't like people to touch what is his. It was weird. I've gotten pissed at people for hurting Tris, punched a few even but not just for having a hand on his arm and not the way Jake did. It wasn't just protective, it was…possessive."

"Like I said Jake is weird, nothing he does makes sense and I know Clare doesn't like him very much. You like her don't you? Clare, you like her?" Eli states more than asks.

"Yeah but I don't think she likes me back," I sigh.

"Clare is…hard to read sometimes. She's very stoic, thinks she needs to shoulder everything herself, give it time. K.C. is the only boyfriend she's ever had and it took months of her being his friend and flirting before he even got a date with her. You just have to keep letting her know you're here and interested," Eli advises me.

"Not so easy to do when she barely speaks to me," I reply.

"So find ways to be around her, get creative," Eli smirks and I smile. "Now can we get back to our assignment?"

"Yeah sorry I'll concentrate now," I reply and we get to work.

We do finish our assignment and when the bell rings I leave with Drew to grab Bianca and have lunch. I see Clare and Fitz eating in the memorial garden, I smile at her and she smiles back at me. It makes my heart skip a beat, Eli is right I have to find creative ways to get near her, let her get to know me and trust me. It might take weeks or months and it'll be hard work but Clare is worth it.

**Update next Sunday starting with Jake's birthday probably.**


	9. Jake's Birthday Wishes

**Not too much fluff in this chapter sorry.**

**Ch. 9 Jake's Birthday Wishes**

**(CLARE)**

The alarm clock sounds at 5:30 this morning and I hit it, slowly moving out of bed. I've been dreading this day because I'm sure that it will be more terrible than our normal days. Not that there's anything terribly ominous about October 18th to most people but it's Jake's birthday and for Maya and me that can only mean bad things. Jake and his dad being lords of this house and Maya and I being worthless nothings like they keep telling us, I'm sure the day holds more anguish for me and Maya than usual. Maya had been forced to sleep in Jakes bed last night and raped I'm sure, I had tried to volunteer to take her place but Glen said no and Maya didn't want me to either. Since the events of Saturday morning and Jake's vicious bite on my breast that caused me to pass out Glen had been somewhat lenient with me. Only because he didn't want me to get sick and miss school or pass out at school. He'd let me sleep in my own bed Saturday, Sunday and last night but it was now Tuesday and Jake's birthday which I'm sure meant I would not be sleeping in my bed tonight. While I hadn't been chained to Glen's bed and forced to sleep with him he had still raped me every night before allowing me to sleep in my own bed. I'd still had to do all my house duties, wear the uniforms and been subject to their fondling.

I get up slowly but don't change Glen and Jake like it when we serve breakfast in our sleeping uniforms. Before going to wake up Maya I go to the washroom, the bright washroom light causing me to squint my eyes. After they adjust to the light I look at my breasts in the mirror, the bruising is healing a bit, at least Glen has the sense to not squeeze them the way he does with this bite mark still here, I'm sure that it will turn into a scar and always be there. I brush my hair to look presentable like I have to and then go into Jake's room to wake Maya.

"Maya we need to make breakfast," I tell her shaking her gently and she opens her eyes but she's still chained to the wall. We're chained with these big padlocks; Jake and Glen keep the keys in their nightstand drawers where we can't reach them. "Jake I need you to unlock Maya so we can make breakfast," I tell him shaking him gently.

He sits up a little and gets the key from the hiding spot; he unlocks Maya and takes the chain off Maya's choker. "I want waffles, bacon, eggs and hash browns for breakfast," Jake yawns rolling over to go back to sleep.

Maya and I go downstairs to start breakfast, I start on the waffle batter while she gets out the frozen hash browns and starts mixing the eggs the way Jake likes them. When the waffles are done and warming in the oven I start on the hash browns, when those are done and warming in the oven we cook the eggs and bacon in one pan. By 6:15 everything is ready, we set the table and I start getting things out of the oven and onto plates while Maya goes upstairs to wake Glen and Jake. When they come downstairs I put their plates in front of them and stand at Glen's side as I'm supposed to.

"Well aren't you girls going to wish Jake a happy birthday?" Glen says as they start eating so Maya and I say Happy Birthday to Jake. "Since it is Jake's birthday he can pull you aside at school and fondle you, do anything to you short of sex and that won't send either one of you to the nurse. That clear son, do what you want but within reason," Glen tells Jake and us, Maya looks scared and I swallow hard knowing this will be bad.

"I also picked out new clothes for you to wear to school," Jake informs us, "I'll show you right after breakfast." They finish their breakfast and then they go upstairs to dress while Maya and I clean up and eat what we can. "Here, you'll wear these today, Maya first," Jake says taking the outfit out of the bag. It consists of a short sleeve black hoodie top that zips all the way up; shorts that will go to her mid-thigh and pair black crotchless panties. "Put them on I want to see," Jake insists handing Maya the clothes. She takes them, takes off the teddy and puts on the outfit, she looks uncomfortable and Jake grins. "You will go without a bra today since you don't have big boobs. These are for you Clare," Jake says taking crimson colored clothing from the bag. They consist of a tank top with thick sleeves that buttons up and daisy duke shorts with a large zipper that is almost as big as the shorts. "You can wear a bra otherwise your boobs would be bouncing everywhere, but you don't get panties since you get a bra," Jake tells me and then looks at Maya telling her to get me a bra.

Maya goes upstairs and I change into the clothes Jake got for me. It's a good thing it's fairly warm still because otherwise Maya and I would be freezing. I get the shorts on and they are extremely uncomfortable without panties. Maya returns with a bra for me and I put it on then the tank top and Jake smiles with pleasure. Glen tells us to finish getting ready for school and we go upstairs.

"We're going to have to practice walking with these shorts it's almost painful," Maya comments.

"I'm less worried about walking in these outfits and more concerned at what the day holds for us," I reply.

Maya nods and we finish getting ready for school, Glen tells us that we both must be home directly after school with Jake but Maya doesn't have band practice today anyway. Glen gives us our cell phones and removes our ankle bracelets before we leave for school. I sit next to Jake on the way to school and he unzips my shorts to fondle me.

"You should both be with me as much as possible today, between classes and at lunch. If you don't I'll tell Dad you weren't cooperating and make sure you get punished," Jake tells us and we nod.

When he pulls up to school he stops fondling me and parks, the three of us get out and Maya and I get a couple of whistles from guys on the football team. I bite my lip and look away embarrassed and Maya looks at her hands.

"Maya?! Clare?!" Owen exclaims when he sees us; he's walking into school with Tristan.

"What are you wearing?" Tris questions.

"We tried to tell them not to wear these outifits but they insisted, they want to show their independent side," Jake answers for us.

I find his choice of words ironic as we have no independence anymore, well very very little anyway. When we get into school Owen and Tris turn to go to their lockers and Jake directs us down the opposite hall, after looking in both directions he takes us into an empty class room. He shoves Maya against a desk and unzips her shirt kissing her while he gets his fingers in her shorts and she whimpers. I stand there watching for a minute, afraid to do anything and be punished but when Maya whimpers again I worry more that people will hear us.

"Jake stop," I tell him pulling at his arm and he glares at me.

"Did you just tell me to stop?" He growls and looks at Maya "Lock the door," he tells her and she obeys. "Get on your knees you worthless bitch," he hisses pulling me down by my hair. "Unbutton your top and give me a blow job," he grins.

I do as I'm told, undoing all the buttons on top and then Jake makes Maya unhook my bra so he can slide it down my arms. With my breasts exposed so he can play with them he opens his jeans pulling them down with his boxers. He rubs himself a couple times and pushes my head toward him so I start giving him a blow job just like I do with Glen every night at dinner. After bobbing my head on him a few times he grips the back of my head and shoves me all the way down so his entire dick is in my mouth. It's going down my throat and I can't breathe, I start coughing and trying to get away but he's holding me firm.

"Jake she's choking," Maya says in worried tone.

"Don't ever say no to me, you're lucky I won't tell my dad disobeyed," he tells me finally pulling me off and I gasp for air.

Once I've taken a couple of breaths he tells me to finish and I do, as quickly as I can. He cums in my mouth, I swallow but choke on it a little, Jake fixes his clothes and tells us he'll see us after class then he leaves the room.

"Are you okay?" Maya asks handing my bra to me.

"Yeah I'll be fine," I nod giving her a reassuring smile and wiping my eyes, when I couldn't breathe tears started coming to my eyes. "We better get to class," I tell her standing up and fixing my clothes again.

"I hate wearing these outfits, they're almost as bad as our house uniforms and people keep looking at us," she complains.

"I know, just pretend we did it to piss off our parents," I remind her.

Maya nods, I take her to French then walk to parenting sitting very precariously in the chair as wearing these daisy dukes with no panties is almost painful.

"What are you wearing?" Bianca asks as she comes into class with Fitz.

"We were trying to piss our parents," I mumble quietly.

"I'm assuming it worked," Bianca says and I nod.

Class begins and no one else says anything but I get a lot of looks. When the bell rings I leave class and get a text on my phone, it's Jake telling me to come to the geography classroom. I do of course walking away quickly so Fitz doesn't ask where I'm going as we have our next class together. When I get there Maya is already in there and Jake is fondling her, I don't say anything this time and Jake finishes with her in a minute. He tells her to go to class and moves on to me, Maya leaves the classroom and Jake opens my top, lifting my bra. He fondles my breasts a minute and then stops and tells me to meet him at lunch in the drama classroom. I fix my clothes and run to class, slipping in just before the late bell. Fitz and Adam look over at me; Adam gives me a half curious half censuring look for my wardrobe today. Reese who actually bothered to come to school today whistles at me for what I'm wearing. I bite my lip, sliding into my desk and my cheeks go red as Reese is still eyeing me so I try and cover my chest with my arms.

"Regretting your choice of clothing this morning?" Fitz asks and I nod wishing greatly that I hadn't been forced to dress like this. "Here," Fitz says having taken off his flannel shirt and handing it to me, it leaves him with only his undershirt. I smile at Fitz and put the shirt on just as Armstrong starts class. I keep his shirt on all through class but when the bell rings for lunch I take it off and hand it back to him. "You can keep it on for the rest of the day, I won't get in trouble for wearing just my undershirt," Fit tells me and doesn't take the shirt.

"I can't, not right now and I'll have to meet you in a little bit for tutoring I have to do something," I tell him uncomfortably and find myself not being able to look him in the eye.

"Okay well text me when you're done I guess, do you have my number?" Fitz asks and I shake my head. I get out my phone and he puts his number in, he hands it back to me and I walk off to meet Jake.

Maya is already in the room and Jake tells me to lock the door. He spends about 20 minutes fondling us both then makes Maya give him a blow job while he plays with my breasts before he finally lets us go. The one thing Jake and Glen have never done to either me or my sister is kiss us, a real kiss on the lips I mean, they kiss the rest of our bodies constantly. I hope they never do, kissing, a true kiss is tender and intimate, so is sex but they don't have sex with us they rape us. After Jake releases us Maya runs off to have lunch with Tris and Zig and I text Fitz that I can meet him now. He tells me he'll meet me in the resource center and I head there.

"Well you look hot today," Lex, one of the football players that whistled at us this morning, says to me. He steps in front of me, blocking me from entering the resource center. "How about you and me go down to the boiler room for some fun," he says putting a hand on my arm, I flinch from his touch and try to walk around him but he grabs my arm. "Hey I'm talking to you," he says holding my arm and keeping me from walking.

"Hey let her go!" Fitz growls coming over and shoving Lex away from me and he lets go of my arm.

"We were just talking Fitz, I was complementing her on her clothes that's all," Lex grins and walks off.

"You okay?" Fitz asks me and I nod.

"I'm fine Lex is just a jerk but thanks," I smile at him.

"Here, I think you'd better wear this for the rest of the day," Fitz says taking his shirt off again and handing it to me.

I take his shirt and we go into the resource center where I tutor him for the rest of lunch. After lunch we start walking to art class but Fitz leaves me to go to the washroom and I tell him I'll see him in class. I see my sister up ahead with Tris and two guys, Maya looks scared and Tris seems to be trying to fight them off. She's probably getting hit on because of our clothes like I was when Fitz saved me. I start to walk a little faster to get there and stop them but Owen beats me to it.

"Hey you little punks back off! Leave her alone she can dress how she wants and if I see you near her again I'll make you sorry for looking at her," Owen tells them as he gets between the boys and Maya. The two niner boys look at Maya and then Owen before snickering and walking off just as I reach my sister.

"Thanks Owen," Maya smiles.

"Yeah thanks some guys can be such jerks," I say as I join them.

"No trouble, Fitz had the right idea I see," Owen says eyeing Fitz's shirt that I'm wearing. "I have my hoodie in my locker, Maya can wear that," Owen comments and waves for us to follow him. We get to his locker and he opens it getting out his hoodie almost handing it to Maya and then stops. "You know Fitz's shirt would probably fit Maya better and my hoodie would fit you better Clare," Owen remarks with just a hint of mischief in his grin and a bit of pleasure.

He does have a point though so I take off Fitz's shirt that I couldn't button all the way anyway and hand it to Maya. She puts it on and I take Owen's hoodie which I can zip up all the way.

"Thanks Owen, I guess I should thank Fitz too," Maya says as she buttons Fitz's shirt.

"No need I'll thank him for you, can you two get to class okay?" Owen asks Maya and Tris, they nod so Owen and I go in the other direction to our art class.

"Thanks for helping my sister back there," I smile at Owen.

"No problem, she is Tristan's best friend and your sister I wasn't just going to let some niner creeps pester her," Owen responds and I smile.

"Why are you wearing Owen's hoodie now where's my shirt?" Fitz asks as Owen and I walk into class.

"Maya's wearing it," I tell him and he gets a pleased smile on his face sort of like the one Owen had just a short time ago. "Some guys were pestering her the way Lex was pestering me and Owen got them to stop. He was going to give her his hoodie to wear but then he pointed out that his hoodie would fit me better and your shirt would fit Maya better. I hope you don't mind," I say to Fitz.

"No I don't mind at all," he replies to me and then gives Owen this grateful grin.

"You're welcome," Owen says with a grin of his own.

They seem to be having some secret conversation that is totally surpassing me because I don't get it at all.

"Oh good you covered her up," Bianca's voice says from behind me and I turn to see her walking into class with Drew.

"Her and Maya both," Owen says.

Miss Dawes calls the class to attention and we begin working on our projects for the week.

"So are you and your sister going through a rebellious stage at the same time?" Bianca questions when we're cleaning our paint brushes after class.

"Uh yeah you could say that," it's the best reply I can come up with.

"Jake seemed to be with you guys a lot today, you two seem to be almost afraid of him. Are you having problems with your stepbrother?" Bianca asks.

"We're just not getting along," it's all I can say. I can't tell her she'd never believe me and even if I could and she did I can't tell her in the middle of class and there's nothing Bianca can do.

Jake doesn't text us to meet him after class thankfully. My last period is Core French, a class that I have no friends in and I don't feel like dealing with Jenna today so I skip it. Instead I go out to fresh air and get a start on my homework, mostly because I'm sure that whatever Jake has planned for us this evening it will prevent us from doing homework.

"Don't you have class now?" Drew asks sitting down with Fitz.

"I didn't want to go to French," I tell them.

"Only you would skip class to do homework," Drew laughs.

"Why aren't you two in class?" I inquire.

"We're on our spare," Fitz says.

They stay with me until the bell and then Fitz walks to the Dot to go to work and Drew goes inside. I stay at the picnic table, Maya and Jake will come out to me. Maya comes out first, she's with Zig and Tris, she waves to them and comes to me then we walk to Jake's truck to wait for him.

"What the fuck are you two wearing?!" Jake growls when he sees us at the truck.

"People were staring, other guys were hitting on us, we couldn't stay dressed like that," I tell him.

"I wanted you dressed like that, it's my birthday!" He whines like a child. "I liked watching how uncomfortable you were, whose clothes are those?" Jake asks but we don't answer and he gets very angry. "Never mind get in the truck, Maya in the middle," he commands. We get in the truck with Maya in the middle and Jake starts driving. "Maya take off your shorts," Jake orders once we've turned the corner and we're away from The Dot.

"Excuse me?" she questions.

"Take off your shorts, or would you like another punishment in addition to what you'll be getting for wearing some other guys clothes?" Jake asks and she shakes her head. She has to unbuckle her seat belt and it's hard for her to move in the tight space of the truck but she gets the shorts off. Jake tells her to open her legs and he fingers her roughly for the few minutes it takes to drive the rest of the way home. When we get home makes Maya walk in without the shorts on but at least Fitz's shirt covers her well. "Both of you naked right now, you will stay that way the rest of the day," Jake informs us.

"But we're by the front door people might see us," Maya argues.

"I said get naked!" He snaps and we both undress quickly. He asks for our cell phones and we give them over, then he puts our ankle bracelets on before he sits down on the sofa. "Maya come here," he orders and she obeys, he pulls her arm and forces her to lay across his lap then in quick succession spanks her hard 17 times. She whimpers a little at the end but manages to stifle the rest of her cries. When he's done he roughly shoves her off his lap and crooks his finger at me. He does exactly the same to me and when he's done he sits me up on his lap and runs his finger over the bite mark he left. "That was for wearing clothes from two random guys and covering up my special birthday outfits. Now start making my birthday cake and get to the rest of your chores Dad should be home soon," Jake tells us.

We go into the kitchen and get out the cake mix, while we're mixing the batter Jake just sits on the sofa watching TV. As soon as the cake is in the oven and we begin to clean up Jake comes into the kitchen, he fondles us the whole time we're cleaning up which makes it rather hard to clean. Hearing a key in the door, I know that Glen is home, he comes in and looks at us in the kitchen; Jake is fondling Maya and just smiles at his dad.

"You girls won't have to cook dinner," Glen informs us as he sets some wrapped gifts on the counter for Jake, "we'll order pizza for Jake's birthday."

The timer goes off for the cake and I take it out of the oven putting it on a cooling rack.

"Can I open my presents now?" Jake asks leaving Maya to shake the wrapped packages on the counter.

"Whatever you want son it's your birthday," Glen says.

Jake grins and starts ripping the paper, I was worried that the presents would be things for Jake to use on us but they're all just normal presents. He gets some clothes, a gift card, a video game and movies he wanted. Jake thanks his dad and then looks at us with a benevolent and carnal smile.

"Can I play with them now?" He asks his dad.

"Sure you can son, you take them up to your room and do what you like but remember the rules, they need to be able to go to school tomorrow," Glen reminds him.

"Clare get your chain from Dad's room I'm going to chain you both to my bed," Jake instructs.

He takes Maya into his room while I get the chain from under the bed in Glen's room. When I get into Jake's room he already has Maya chained to his bed, he takes the chain from me and hooks it to the ring with Maya's chain. He tells me to get the padlock so I return to Glen's room for the padlock and go back to Jake. He hooks the chain to my choker and stands up to look at Maya and I sitting side by side and chained. He smiles and starts undressing I take Maya's hand because we both know what's coming.

"Clare stand up and face the wall," Jake commands when he's naked and I do as I'm told. He pushes at me so that I'm bracing my hands against the wall and spreads my legs, bending me forward a little more. "I've been waiting to do this a long time, I don't have to be careful with you so I'm going to fuck you hard and then your sister will lick me clean when I'm done. Happy birthday to me," Jake's voice drips with hideous sadistic lechery as he wraps an arm around my waist.

I look at the floor, bracing myself for what's coming; Jake spreads my vaginal lips and then violently thrusts in! He goes all the way in and the thrust is so brutal that my stomach churns and I lurch violently. Maya gasps, I bit my lip to keep from whimpering and choke back the tears that flood my eyes.

**(BIANCA)**

I was on the steps with Owen, he was talking about his game on Friday and I'm half listening while I watch for Drew. I see Audra pull up then Drew and Adam get out of the minivan, Adam reminds his mom that he has band after school. They walk to the stairs but Adam just waves to us and goes inside.

"Hey Owen," Drew grins and Owen nods to him, "Morning Beautiful," he says to me before stealing a kiss.

"Morning, your brother's really into this band huh?"

"Yeah he loves it," Drew nods.

"Has he said anything about Maya?" I ask.

"No why?" Drew asks.

"I don't know it's just Maya and Clare have both been acting…different recently and I'm a little worried about them," I reply.

"Fitz and I said the same thing, we're keeping an eye on them," Owen says.

"Yeah we probably all should," I remark as the bell rings and we go inside. Drew walks with us to parenting and kisses me at the door. Clare is already sitting at her desk but I don't see Fitz his shirt that Maya was wearing yesterday is on his desk though. "You seen Fitz this morning?" I ask Owen as he picks up his hoodie that Clare was wearing yesterday and puts it in his backpack.

"No, not at all, I'll call him after class if he doesn't show up," Owen tells me. We sit down and class starts, Fitz never shows up so Owen calls him as we're leaving class. "Hey why aren't you at school?...Yeah no problem I'll bring your homework over after football or B can swing it by," Owen says and I realize Fitz must have stayed home sick.

"I'll swing his homework by," I speak up.

"B will swing your homework by…yep feel better," Owen says and hangs up.

"Is he sick or is trouble with his stepbrother?" I question.

"He said he was sick but I'm not so sure see if you can find out when you go over tonight," Owen tells me and I nod. "Hey Clare," he calls to the girl walking a few feet ahead of us and she turns back to look at us. "Fitz is home sick so you won't have to tutor him at lunch; you want to have lunch with us?" Owen asks hopefully.

"Uh sure," she nods.

"Cool we'll eat outside since it's pretty warm today," Owen smiles.

We all part ways since we all have different classes this period, after class I start heading to meet Owen, Drew and Clare for lunch when I bump into Maya, literally.

"Sorry Maya are you okay?" I ask catching her.

"Yeah I'm fine," Maya says and smiles at me a little.

"Hey Bianca," Jake grins walking up to us.

"Umm I have to go meet Tris and Zig for lunch," Maya says quickly and runs in the other direction.

"You want to have lunch?" Jake asks me.

"I'm having lunch with my boyfriend," I respond and walk off.

When I get outside I see Drew, Owen and Clare at a picnic table and sit down next to Drew. He greets me with a kiss and pushes his lunch over to me, I start eating, Owen and Drew are talking about their game on Friday while I shake off the fact that Jake asked me to lunch. Clare is eating slowly and spacing out a little so she doesn't hear Owen ask her if she's coming to the game, he touches her arm and she jumps. Nearly out of her seat jumps and it startles all of us.

"Sorry what?" She asks.

"Are you coming to the game on Friday?" Owen inquires again.

"Oh umm no, my parents…" she pauses like she's thinking of a good excuse, "don't approve of violent sports."

Owen looks brutally disappointed but Clare doesn't notice as she's looking at her carrot stick and eating it slowly. We go back to talking and Clare excuses herself as soon as she's done eating, I kiss Drew's cheek, tell him I'll catch him later and follow her inside.

"You know you could have just told Owen you don't like football," I tell her and she stops walking to look at me.

"Huh?"

"He was pretty hurt that you weren't coming to the game," I respond.

"I wish I could go to the game but we're not allowed," she says.

"To go to a football game?" I inquire, I've heard of strict but that's a little overboard. Clare just nods and bites her lip when she sees someone approaching; I look up to see Jake.

"Hey Bianca, Clare get to class I need to talk to Bianca," he orders her like she's a pet or something.

"Classes don't start for twenty minutes," she argues getting a little closer to me.

Now he glares at her, it's rather menacing, of course I've seen Fitz's stepbrother give him just as cruel a look. Maybe Jake's on drugs and that's why the girls are afraid of him.

"Then go to your locker, I want to ask Bianca out," Jake tells her and I feel myself throw up in my mouth a little.

"Bianca has a boyfriend; she's dating Drew, why would she go out with you?"

Jake tenses up, he's livid now and grabs her arm, he whispers something in her ear and she looks scared.

"Jake let her go, I am dating Drew I'm never going to go out with you," I tell him.

He snarls at Clare shoves her away and walks off, I put my arm around Clare and she holds her arm where Jake was grabbing her.

"Are you okay? What did he say to you?" I inquire.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it just stay away from Jake, he likes you and he's…not right," she says slowly, it felt like she wanted to say something else but stopped herself.

"Don't worry I don't plan on going near him, you want to go back out to the guys," I offer and she shakes her head.

"I'm just going to go to class, I'll see you in art," she tells me and walks off.

I watch her go and just stand there replaying the whole scene in my head. I'm still like that when arms get wrapped around my waist from behind and lips kiss my neck. I was so caught up in my head that I jump a little even though I know it's Drew.

"Sorry Beautiful didn't mean to scare you," Drew apologizes.

"It's fine I was just thinking," I tell him.

"About what?" He asks.

"Jake," I say without thinking.

He turns me around and twists his face at me, "Jake? Do I have competition?"

"No," I laugh, "well I mean yeah but I would never go for him."

"What do you mean yeah?" Drew queries picking up a jealous tone.

I laugh and link my arms around his neck taking his lips for a kiss, "I mean he has a crush on me but I love you and you make me happy."

"You love me?" He grins raising his eyebrows.

"Yes Drew Torres I love you," I smile.

"I love you too," he says and presses his lips to mine with a tender loving passion that makes my heart sing.

**Update next Sunday including Halloween.**


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